


The Sleeping Dragon

by MuggleBorn92



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, German Federal Ministry of Magic, Multi, Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Statute of Secrecy (Harry Potter), Wizarding Germany, Wizarding World (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:06:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24663556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuggleBorn92/pseuds/MuggleBorn92
Summary: For 300 years, the Statute of Secrecy has kept Wizards and Muggles apart. But in the age of smartphones, social media and security cameras, the wizarding world is more at risk of exposure than ever before. Some believe it is inevitable that wizards will be discovered. Others fight to preserve it. Will it take one spark to bring the two worlds together? Or will it tear them apart?
Comments: 61
Kudos: 4





	1. A Life in Secrecy

It’s easy to spot magic. That is, if you believe in it.

Otherwise, it’s determined to be one conspiracy theory or another. No matter how crazy things got around them, how in-your-face unnatural, Muggles would blame it on aliens, lizard-possessed politicians, Illuminati, manipulation by intelligence services…but they would never once suggest or even consider the possibility of magic being involved. And perhaps this was a good thing, Nolwazi thought as she strode down the street of one of Berlin’s suburbs with her superior. In a way Muggles were helping in keep the wizarding world hidden by spreading conspiracy after conspiracy across the internet.

But conspiracies were made for the big stuff. A mere garbage can shooting its contents at pedestrians, like the one they were dealing with today, wasn’t worth any alien perpetrators. It only required a police officer. Much to the annoyance of Nolwazi’s superior, Kezban Çalışkan: now they might have to wipe more memories than they had anticipated. Even though it was her job, Kezban had always found this idea somewhat disturbing.

“This is the fourth case in a day,” remarked Nolwazi, “After the hiccupping toaster, the vomiting coffee machine and the sneezing soap dispenser.”

“Don’t forget the shrinking chairs at Bundestag Station in the U-Bahn,” reminded Kezban as the two women were neared the address in question.

“Yeah, but the rest of them had a clear pattern: they were all spitting out something. I’d say that shouldn’t be considered a coincidence.”

“You think it’s the same person?” Kezban asked as she grabbed Nolwazi’s arm stopping the younger woman to better gauge her meaning.

“I think we should consider that.” Nolwazi said resuming the walk.

They arrived at the house. An empty police car parked on the side of the road.

“Where are the garbage cans?” Kezban wondered.

“They must have taken them into the garden where they won’t disturb that many people,” Nolwazi deduced.

“Well,” Kezban sighed stepping up the stairs and ringing the bell. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with here.”

For a few minutes nothing happened. Then a man of roughly 30 years answered the door staring at the two women with confusion, particularly at Nolwazi with her colorful outfit and bright make-up, both even more vivid against her brown skin.

“Mr. Eisner?” Kezban asked.

“Look, whatever you’re selling, we’re in the middle of a situation here,” he said.

Kezban flashed a badge.

“Kezban Çalışkan, Federal Ministry of Health,” she said. “We know about your little…situation. We’re here to contain it.”

“Um…” Mr. Eisner seemed confused but stepped aside and let them in while mumbling, “As long as they can stop this mess.”

Nolwazi noticed that he stared at her longer than appropriate and frowned. As a natural legilimens, she additionally sensed disturbing thoughts in the man’s mind, pornographic ones. To focus herself again, she took in the surroundings. The living room sported the latest model of flat-screen TV. A woman and a young boy were sitting on the sofa. Through the doors leading to the garden, Nolwazi could see the two garbage cans, a grey one and a brown one. Right now, they seemed to be ordinary.

Next to the door leading to the garden a police officer stood shaking his head. As the two women entered he turned. His dark hair was beginning to show some grey spots and he was not exactly what you would call thin.

“Who are you?” the officer asked.

“I am Kezban Çalışkan and this is my assistant, Nolwazi Robinson, we’re from the Ministry of Health.”

The police officer regarded the two women with a presumptuous gaze.

“How did you know about the incident?” he asked suspiciously.

“This is not the first incident of this kind,” Nolwazi explained. “We believe we have found a method to neutralize the danger.”

Kezban approached the police officer.

“Perhaps I can explain myself, Officer….?”

“Slowik.”

“Officer Slowik,” Kezban said blocking the view of the Eisner family and ever so casually slipping her wand out of her sleeve yet so quickly that one wouldn’t notice on first glance. A second later Officer Slowik was scratching his head as a Confundus Charm hit him and he missed Nolwazi slipping through the door. Slowly she stepped closer to one of the garbage cans, her wand at the ready. When she was about two meters away from it, the lid of the can opened. With a sound similar to a belch, a bunch of trash came flying in her direction. Nolwazi quickly jumped to the side but the can, while not moving, seemed to sense her movement nonetheless because the next wave of trash almost hit her again.

“ _Finite!_ ” she whispered aiming her wand straight at the can. It stopped. As with her previous missions, a simple Counter-Spell undid the damage. Now, off to the unpleasant part…

Kezban had finished it up already, thankfully. The Eisner family sat on their sofa with glassy gazes and the police officer was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, Kezban had convinced, or more likely confunded him to leave. Nolwazi and Kezban went into the garden closing the back door via magic as it couldn’t be locked from the outside and moved the garbage cans to their original spots at the front of the house.

“Right,” said Kezban as everything was back in place again. “Time for our most exciting part of the day…”

“Reports!” both women said in unison straining the word. They laughed and made their way to the end of the street where they could safely disapparate.

* * *

The inhabitants of Berlin were used to construction sites, so the one next to the Red City Hall in the Jüdenstraße was not really an exception. It had been here for so long that no one really remembered when they had begun the project. Strangely, not a single sound emanated from the site. Even more confusingly, those who passed it didn’t seem to notice or to care.

Behind the barriers of the construction site, Nolwazi and Kezban had just apparated and were swiftly moving towards what looked like the entrance to a U-Bahn station. Nodding to the two guards, they went down the 39 steps to the foyer of the ministry, which was covered with a red carpet and had bronze colored walls. Columns held a splendid ceiling high above their heads and enchanted windows displayed the weather outside. Two rows of fireplaces were lining up the walls. Stairs led to the lower levels but most employees used one of the 35 elevators down the hall in a small chamber. As Nolwazi and Kezban approached the chamber, they passed the giant white marble monument where the names of the Federal Ministers for Magic were engraved as well as the cities where the Federal Ministry had been since 1695: apart from Berlin where the ministry had been between 1848 and 1945 as well as from 2001 onwards, it had been in Regensburg, Nuremberg, Vienna, Frankfurt and Cologne throughout the centuries.

When they reached the elevators, they first had to wait for a dozen employees to pass who were lucky to be the first ones to finish the day. Finally, they could enter one alongside a Goblin who was reading a long piece of parchment floating in front of him and, like themselves, remained silent for the entire elevator ride.

“ _Level 2: Federal Minister for Magic Office,_ ” a female voice sounded as they reached the next stop. The elevator doors only remained open for a short time allowing a couple of paper birds to enter which proceeded to soar around under the ceiling.

“ _Level 3: Department of Magical Security incorporating the_ _Exposure and Misuse of Magic Office, the Office for Protection and Rights of Magical Beasts and Beings, the Office for the Restoration of Grave Magical Damage, the Office of Muggle Relations and the Auror Office._ ”

Nolwazi and Kezban got off the elevator and made their way to the Exposure and Misuse of Magic Office to write their report.

* * *

Ever since she turned 18, about two years ago, Nolwazi wondered whether it was considered normal for people to still live with their parents. As wizards came of age one year earlier than Muggle children, she had been both under age and of age which was kind of weird. The Robinson family lived in Lübeck where Nolwazi had grown up. She had been born in San Francisco however as her parents had spent the time on vacation in her father’s home country. Michael James Robinson was born in 1967 in Chicago where he had grown up. It was in 1987, when he had just turned 20, that he would meet the woman who would eventually become his wife: Nolwazi’s mother Astrid whose last name at the time was Vogel. She had been travelling around the US to explore her own father’s American roots. Like Nolwazi, her mother’s father had been born in the US, though unlike her he had been the child of German refugees who had fled to the States from the Nazi regime. It was thus that Nolwazi had close ties to America. Everything came twice with her: she had two countries as a heritage, her parents were members of two different ethnicities and, the most stunning thing she had ever found out, she was a child of two worlds: a witch with non-magical origins; a Muggle-born.

She had been very aware of all of those things. She always looked different than most people around her and had a different set of abilities most around her lacked. She remembered practicing magic ever since she was a toddler and her parents had often told her about that very first time when she was just one year old that she first displayed her magical abilities. What was unusual about her as a Muggle-born was that she had a basis of comparison of her skills as a witch because their neighbors happened to be a family of witches and wizards. Mathilda Leitfried had been her bestie since…ever! They had a connection that Nolwazi described as tight as sisters. Virtually inseparable, they went through Kindergarten as well as primary school together and later through the Cornelius-Agrippa-Schule, a school for witches and wizards hidden in the Toevererhoff Street in downtown Lübeck.

As Nolwazi made herself ready for the day, she was honored by the presence of the self-nominated queen of the house: their cat Ellie. Striding in with the pride of an empress, Ellie made her presence known by declaring that she was going to lie on Nolwazi’s bed as if it were her throne. All that was missing were three dragons, Nolwazi thought smiling. Season 2 of Game of Thrones had just aired in April and she wasn’t missing one episode!

Her room was actually several times larger than an ordinary room of this kind: having magically enlarged it several years ago, Nolwazi had proceeded to fill her room with an incredible account of books and several magical objects she had obtained over the years. Additionally, an ordinary looking tent filled a part of the room for two years now. Nolwazi had obtained it as a personal travelling tent and had used an undetectable extension charm to effectively create a small house inside it with three floors, a kitchen, a bathroom, several bedrooms, a library, a potions lab and a herbology greenhouse.

Having finished, Nolwazi gazed at herself in the mirror to check her appearance: she had colored parts of her hair in purple, the signature wizarding color; her robes flowed freely around her body yet at the same time it wasn’t hiding her form, not at all! They had a deep blue color with a green-and-red pattern. After the interesting events with the all those bewitched Muggle items spitting out stuff, Nolwazi was relieved to find weekend before her and longed for the trip to Hamburg with Mathilda for a day of shopping in the city’s marvelous wizarding area. She gave Ellie one last pat, which earned her a respectful purr, grabbed her wand and headed downstairs. The street on which they lived was almost exclusively filled by terraced houses and Nolwazi only had to go a few steps before she reached her friend’s front door. After a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a girl at Nolwazi’s age with light brown hair.

“Morning, Mathilda” Nolwazi said.

“Hello! Come in,” Mathilda replied in a friendly yet somewhat stiff tone, opening the door widely.

From the first glance one got of the Leitfried family home, it was clear that this was no ordinary one. Despite being the same size on the outside, the interior of the house seemed to be bigger. The hallway seemed twice as long as in normal houses of this type and there was no electricity to be found here. The picture on the left side of the hall featured an Alpine landscape and several Graphorns. The picture was moving: the creatures roaming all over the place and the trees swaying with the wind. To the right was the entrance to the kitchen which was likewise enlarged and, instead of a modern stove, featured a fireplace for kettles to be placed on. On the left was the staircase which led to the upper floors. Straight ahead was the living room which had been enlarged to be at least twice the size of standard living rooms, possibly a little larger. Nolwazi briefly nodded to at portrait greeting her, one of Mathilda’s ancestors, Erna Leitfried who had lived from 1805 to 1926.

“Coffee?” Mathilda asked. Her choice of dress was meant to leave an impression. It was dark green and kind of snake-like. Additionally, she wore an elegant pointed hat.

“Oh, please,” Nolwazi said.

Mathilda waved her wand at a set of two coffee cups and one of the cups began to sail towards the seat that Nolwazi had taken.

“You seem to be working on something interesting,” Nolwazi mused. “I haven’t seen you anymore last night. Have you been working overtime again?”

“You know I can’t talk about that,” Mathilda reminded her. “But yes, it’s really exciting! Did I miss anything in the news?”

Nolwazi shook her head. It had become a sort of custom that Mathilda would come over to Nolwazi and her parents to watch the Muggle news each evening.

“What about you? Any event worth telling?” Mathilda asked.

“Someone is bewitching objects in Berlin and its surrounding areas causing objects to spit out their contents: toasters, coffee machines, soap dispensers and garbage cans…it’s a pattern. It’s like they’re taunting us. One moment we’ve repaired the damage of one thing, then immediately another incident occurs. Like they’re testing out how fast we can react.”

“Who would want to do that?” Mathilda asked.

“I don’t know…” Nolwazi looked ahead for a moment lost in thought. Then suddenly the air became cold and the room was bathed in an eerie blue light. Mathilda sighed.

“Get away from the fire, Pete!” she said without looking at the figure at the fire.

“And here I was thinking I could enjoy it for once!” said the ghost who was hovering before the fireplace.

“You cannot even feel it, so why bother?” Mathilda said frowning.

The ghost groaned with annoyance and glided away from the fire which returned to normal again.

“Hello, Peter!” Nolwazi greeted the ghost brightly.

“A good morning to you, Miss Nolwazi,” Peter said removing his hat to greet her. In his lifetime, he had been the first wizard of the Leitfried family. Descending from a family of earls, Peter zu Leitfried was born in 1711. He had been a curious man who spent a lot of time reading and learning. He travelled to Arabia in the 1730s and continued from there all the way to China and Japan (even though that country had closed itself off from the world, at least for Muggles) recording his voyage in his diaries and his Pensieve. He stayed in Asia for ten years and even travelled south to Borneo and then to Australia. He returned to Europe in 1781 after an extensive stay in South America, particularly Brazil. In 1825, he was chased down by a group of soldiers for helping a group of Muggles staging a riot. Attempting to disapparate, he had splinched himself so severely that he had died from it. This resulted in him losing his right eye as well as a large chunk of flesh in the right side of his torso. You could clearly see his ribs in the wound which still looked fresh. Apart from that though, he was a friendly fellow who only sometimes lamented that he wasn’t able to gather more knowledge in his lifetime. Nolwazi had had dozens of discussions with him on that subject.

“I hear you plan to travel to Hamburg this morning,” Peter asked with an ever so curious tone in his voice.

“Indeed; long shopping day,” said Nolwazi.

“And we are going right now, aren’t we, Nolwazi?” Mathilda asked standing up abruptly while she spoke.

Nolwazi sighed and rolled her eyes irritated at Mathilda’s dislike towards her ancestor but still followed her friend to the fireplace.

Peter held up his hands.

“Please, don’t go because of me!”

Mathilda smiled a smile that didn’t extend up to her eyes and reached for a small box on top the fireplace. Grabbing a handful of the powder inside, she threw it directly into the flames which at once turned green.

“After you,” Mathilda said to her friend.

“Thanks,” said Nolwazi before turning once again to the ghost.

“Bye, Peter!”

“Until next time, Miss Nolwazi.” Peter responded bowing politely.

Nolwazi walked straight into the flames which felt warm and cozy.

“Staffstraße!” she shouted.

At ones the flames surrounded her and she felt a jolt similar to the feeling when travelling by Portkey. It was over before she felt like throwing up. With deep breaths, she stepped out of the fireplace into a large building where three other fireplaces had been erected: The _Kaminhaus_ at Staffstraße, one of three wizarding streets in Hamburg, all in the space between the Muggle streets Eppendorfer Baum and Oderfelder Str.

Staffstraße, Keteltwiete and Schwarzweg had been erected in 1732 when this whole area was still outside of Hamburg and uninhabited by Muggles. Along with the three wizarding streets, a school had also been erected which was called _Katharina-Hanen-Schule_. It had a very Baroque-like architecture on the outside and a Rococo style on the inside which Nolwazi knew because she had visited the school’s library once. It was one of dozens of wizarding schools in the German speaking region and there was no unified curriculum apart maybe from Muggle Studies which had been compulsory since 1945. The schools were vastly different from one another in terms of size and age. The oldest was founded in 1105 and the youngest was a Jewish wizarding school in Prague built in 1851. The biggest schools were large monasteries and castles, mostly in the south and the smallest schools were found in rural areas like the Hunsrück region Rhineland-Palatinate and the Sauerland region in North Rhine-Westphalia. The east held the largest amount of abandoned wizarding schools some of which had been rebuilt by 1994, a fact which had greatly helped the Frambold Academy in West-Berlin which had grown incredibly during the division of Germany as many wizards who didn’t flee to the west relocated here.

“What exactly are you looking for?” Nolwazi asked Mathilda after she had appeared in the fireplace.

“Something new; I wish our journey would never have ended,” she replied and sighed referring to their 18-months long journey around the world.

“Well,” Nolwazi said, “we still haven’t seen every part of the world. Perhaps we should make up for that.”

“I don’t know,” Mathilda mused. “Would they grant us one and a half years of leave?”

“It’s been exactly two years, hasn’t it?” Nolwazi asked Mathilda as they were strolling through Staffstraße.

“June 16th 2010,” Mathilda acknowledged. “What do you want to buy?”

“I think I just found it,” Nolwazi said gazing through the window of a book shop.

“Oooh,” Mathilda gasped looking in another direction. “So did I!”

And while her friend strode off to a shop specializing on Divination, Nolwazi opened the door to the book shop. A bell rang as she did so. It was a beautiful little shop, two stories high and clearly enchanted to be longer than any building would be because Nolwazi could make out a tiny spot on the other side of the shop. As she examined the books offered on small tables and dozens of shelves, she gently let her hand glide over the edges. This was her element! There was a book on ancient spells she already had read and had given to Mathilda as a birthday present three months ago back in March. The book she was looking for however was of other nature.

The green and purple cover seemed to pierce her eyes as she approached it. The black title was surrounded by a red rectangle:

_The Secrecy Question – Thoughts on an Outdated Idea_

_By Carlotta Pinkstone_

“It was on the Daily Prophet’s bestseller list for more than a year,” the manager commented behind Nolwazi, “And with good reason.”

Nolwazi turned to find herself in front of a young man, perhaps thirty years old.

“I’ve been a fan of her ever since I found out about her,” he said smiling.

“Do you believe we should no longer hide?” Nolwazi asked him.

He tilted his head side to side several times while weighing his answer.

“Well, there could be many positive things for both sides if we were to peacefully live together.”

“Put an emphasis on _if_ ,” Nolwazi pointed out continuing in a sarcastic tone: “Why would they trust us? A powerful hidden society who has lived here for three hundred years, basically illegally…yeah, sure, they’d welcome us with open arms.”

“Well, haven’t they deserved it? As you correctly pointed out, we are very powerful compared to them. We could cure their deadliest diseases, helping them construct all those broken streets and bridges…”

“Well, we’re powerful in some areas, not all of them. And despite their sometimes hilarious attempts to justify any supernatural occurrences they come across with such a rationality that they would rather believe in aliens than plain magic in front of them, their technology advances fast.”

“Indeed,” said the manager holding up the book as if to prove a point. “Ms. Pinkstone already recognized this 70 years ago. This question isn’t new; it’s not new at all! Just think of Gellert Grindelwald! Or of Jáchym Kovář – did you know that she and he met in 1955? Boy, what an argument that was! It was the final straw that divided those who wanted to usher a new era of peace with Muggles into those who wanted to do so in cooperation and those who wanted to work towards this era via a revolution.”

Nolwazi nodded.

“I’ve read Kovář’s pamphlet. As a Muggle-born, I find myself utterly divided on that question…I mean, there are good reasons to hide, too. Those of us who are not accepted by their Muggle kin can find a safe place here with us…”

“But only if they’re wizards themselves,” the manager added grimly.

“Do you have Muggle family?” Nolwazi asked.

He shook his head.

“A Squib brother; don’t misunderstand me, I know Squibs are allowed to live in our world for decades now but…they still have to fight every day for recognition.”

Nolwazi looked down.

“Yeah,” she said. “I know the feeling…”

There was a brief silence between them.

“So...d’you wanna buy this book?” he asked her.

She nodded.

“Okay,” he said moving to the counter. “That’ll be 12 Denars, 60 Bracts and 2 Tovers,” he said. She took out her purse and gave him the coins. He had just given her the change when Nolwazi heard the bell ring and saw the face of the manager brighten up.

“Ah, Mr. Chang! Now nice to see you again; with you in a moment.”

Nolwazi took the book and turned around to head for the exit. As she did so, she saw the man whom the manager had called out to, Mr. Chang: a respectable looking man of about 50 years; he wore yellow robes and held a walking stick in his right hand. The woman at his side looked equally stunning with her blood red robes and golden jewelry in her hair. As Nolwazi stepped aside to make way for them, she saw that behind them a young woman who followed the pair, perhaps a little younger than Nolwazi, eighteen maybe.

She had golden hair and wore simple grey robes. Two long thin scars stretched across her beautiful face and her right eye had a different color than her left: it was a bright blue, almost white and she didn’t blink with her right eye. It still moved but the skin around it didn’t twitch one bit. It was as if it couldn’t show emotions. Her left eye on the other hand was brown and it radiated shyness. As Nolwazi gazed at the young woman, she could feel loneliness from her and the feeling of not belonging in this world. Nolwazi took in her small cute nose and her fine lips and her big sad eye.

As the woman looked up she noticed Nolwazi staring at her and in return stared at her outlandish, colorful outfit. Nolwazi gave her a cheeky smile which caused the girl to smile back shyly. She quickly looked down again and then joined what Nolwazi assumed were her adopted parents given how unrelated they looked.

Mathilda was waiting when Nolwazi stepped out of the book shop.

“What’s going on with you?” Mathilda asked.

“Oh…nothing,” Nolwazi said, smiling still. “Look what I’ve found.”

She handed Mathilda the book.

“Hm…intriguing,” Mathilda commented flipping through the pages. “But not surprising. Remember Andrew Abbott?”

“The leader of the wizarding maroon community outside of New Orleans? How could I forget him?” Nolwazi said, “His community was amazing!”

“What I mean is that Pinkstone is not the only one…nor is Kovář for that matter. They’re all sparks. The question is…will they ignite something?” Mathilda said.

Nolwazi walked alongside her friend silently for a while.

“I don’t know. I don’t think we’re ready…neither us nor them.”

“I don’t believe being ready matters,” Mathilda murmured.

“Have you seen something?” Nolwazi asked even though she didn’t believe in divination.

Mathilda slowly shook her head.

“I don’t know. The signs are…muddy. But something is definitely there.”

The two spent their remaining time eating ice cream and looking for other interesting things to buy. It was only after they had returned home that Nolwazi realized she hadn’t asked the girl her name! Or anything for that matter! Would they ever meet again? She gulped. Perhaps she could ask the manager of the book store. He clearly knew Mr. Chang.

* * *

When Nolwazi reached the Federal Ministry’s foyer on Monday, she saw Kezban running towards her.

“Quickly, come!” she said pulling her towards one of the fireplaces.

“What’s going on?” Nolwazi asked.

“We’re going to Palatinate,” her superior said as they stepped into the green fire.

“Neheim Forest!” Kezban called out and the fire rose up above them pulling them into the Floo Network.

They arrived inside a wooden hut which had been magically enlarged on the inside. A dozen Aurors had gathered preparing for what seemed to be an assault. Nolwazi gave her superior a look of confusion, but Kezban didn’t see it, already making for a man who seemed to be leading the group.

“Minister,” Kezban said, “I’m Kezban Çalışkan. This is my assistant, Nolwazi Robinson. We’ve been ordered by the Federal Ministry to lead this operation. What’s our status?”

The Minister for Magic of Palatinate, Ferdinand von Glockenspieler, pointed towards a window.

“The Centaurs have been moving southeast, out of their designated territory. They’re heading for a cleared area of the forest that is used by a Muggle company for mining.”

“Weren’t the protective enchantments supposed to keep them inside?” Kezban wondered.

“There were erected to keep people out! More specifically: to keep Muggles out.”

“Then why are the Centaurs advancing on them?” Kezban mused.

“To protect their home,” Nolwazi pointed out. Kezban and the minister turned to her.

“The Centaurs don’t distinguish between wizards and Muggles,” Nolwazi explained. “They have their own system of honor. To them the humans are a threat and they will do everything to protect their home, their trees and their earth. It’s their land.”

“Really?” von Glockenspieler sneered approaching Nolwazi to look down on her. “And who gave them that land?”

Kezban stepped between the two.

“Minister, Nolwazi is right. We have to negotiate with the Centaurs to relocate–”

“Negotiate?” Von Glockenspieler scoffed.

“Those nags have to know their place! And we’re here to show them just that.”

Ignoring Kezban, the minister called out to the Aurors.

“Let’s move out!”

But Kezban didn’t give up.

“The Federal Minister has instructed me personally to lead this operation, you can’t just – Ferdinand! –”

With one pop the minister and his Auror followers had disapparated from the hut.

“Unbelievable!” Kezban cursed. Without further ado, she took Nolwazi’s hand and they disapparated as well emerging on the edge of the forest with its lush green leaves and a morning mist which was beautifully illuminated by the orange morning sun. They saw Muggle clearing equipment, dozers and cranes which had been used already to cut a huge chunk of the forest. Further away, Nolwazi could see that the Muggles had dug a vast and deep hole in the ground. The Muggle workers had armed themselves with every kind of tool at their disposal and were facing at least fifteen Centaurs armed with bows and arrows.

Von Glockenspieler had already instructed the Aurors to surround the Centaurs and keep an eye on the Muggles. One of the Centaurs noticed the arriving wizards and turned to aim his bow and arrow towards Kezban.

“Mars was bright this morning,” he growled, “It should have been obvious that this was the day!”

“Don’t even think about it, Manolis!” von Glockenspieler grunted threateningly but Kezban held up a hand to silence him.

“Please, stand down!” Kezban implored. “Who’s in charge here?”

“Who are you?” asked one of the Muggle workers but Kezban ignored him as a female voice called out from the group of Centaurs:

“I am!”

A Centauride stepped forward. As with the other Centaurs, she didn’t wear any clothing. Her face was young yet filled with wisdom. Her eyes were bright and her dark brown hair seemed to shine in the sun. Her human torso was muscular and she held herself in a proud pose so that her full breasts could be seen in all their glory. Some of the Muggles seemed to forget the threat for a moment gawking at her bosom with wide eyes. Below her waist, one could see the body of a horse, its fur as brown as the hair on her head.

“I am Toxoneia,” she said. “Who are you to invade our forest?”

“I am Kezban Çalışkan from the Federal Ministry of Magic,” Kezban declared still ignoring the Muggles who were now exchanging confused looks, “and I am here to negotiate so as to resolve this situation.”

Toxoneia tilted her head but didn’t lower her weapon. “You speak for these humans here?” she growled.

“As they are non-magical people, they weren’t aware that this forest was inhabited by you,” Kezban said trying to keep her voice calm. “I can assure you, we will f –”

“We’ve got company!” one of the Aurors shouted. Everybody turned to see a convoy of Police cars including a water cannon vehicle coming towards them. One of the Muggle workers smirked.

“They’ve called for reinforcement,” Nolwazi groaned.

Several dozen fully armed police officers were deployed wearing protective armor and shields. The Aurors around them became tense as did the Centaurs. Nolwazi glanced at Kezban who shot a wary look back at her that read: One false step…


	2. The Call of the Phoenix

As the police slowly came closer, several members ushered the workers to safety. Whoever had made the call clearly did not believe that their target was a bunch of actual Centaurs! And who would believe it anyway? They likely believed them to be activists, hence the absence of guns apart from pepper spray. Nolwazi wondered if the police was drilled not to show any emotions because aside from several wide eyes, the assembled army of policemen who were now positioning themselves remained unusually calm.

“What do we do now?” Nolwazi whispered to Kezban.

“We should take care of those Muggles,” murmured von Glockenspieler.

“No,” Kezban whispered back sharply, “we must try to resolve this peacefully.”

Suddenly, a voice over loudspeakers sounded:

“Whoever you are,” the voice addressed the Centaurs and the wizards surrounding them, “you’ve illegally occupied the property of the RWE Company. Clear this forest now or you will be evacuated!”

“Who are you to order us to abandon our home?” Toxoneia shouted back. “You do not live here. You do not use our forest, you destroy it! Leave now or we will defend it!”

“Toxoneia, please,” Kezban said, “we can resolve this! Stand down and we will help you in–”

“ _NO!_ ” Toxoneia roared, “There have been too many promises already! We have been waiting for too long! This ends today!”

All it took was one man. Before Nolwazi could even process it, the arrow hit the policeman straight in the throat as he was proceeding to take position by whipping out his baton and moving his shield. He collapsed falling back almost bringing the man behind him to the ground. But before his head even hit the floor, several of his comrades had already begun to charge triggered by the death of their man.

At the same time, as soon as Manolis had fired the arrow, von Glockenspieler pointed at him his face filled with rage and hatred.

“ _STUN!!!_ ”

“No!” Kezban cried holding him back but the Aurors had already fired. The red rays of light hit Manolis as well as other Centaurs close to him. Toxoleia had reacted quicker and she and others were scattering, running out of range of the stunning spells firing arrows in the process. The policemen temporarily stopped dead in their tracks shocked by the abilities of the little sticks in the Aurors’ hands. But they recovered quickly from that shock and proceeded to attack. Nolwazi took cover behind a tree to avoid an arrow as the Aurors dispersed. Gone was any strategy! As the dozens of men in their black armored uniform reached them, Nolwazi spotted two men charging towards her. She quickly raised her wand and fired a stunning spell at the first guy who tried to deflect it with his glass shield. The spell burst directly through it shattering it into millions of pieces. He collapsed to the floor and his companion jumped over him and threw his shield at Nolwazi. She ducked out of the way and disapparated reappearing behind him. He stared at the spot where she had been. Using his distraction, Nolwazi fired a Full body-Bind Curse at him. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell flat on the ground stiff as a board.

She looked around. All over the area, the police tried to hunt down the wizards. The Centaurs who had managed to escape the stunning had vanished into the forest. Some policemen tried to move the stunned Centaurs towards the edge of the forest but were quickly taken down by Aurors. Further away, Nolwazi saw Kezban fighting a group of six policemen. Nolwazi sprinted forward but suddenly, a hard shower of water hit her and she quickly dived out of the way and disapparated again. The water canon had been activated and was aiming at individual wizards. Nolwazi had reapparated out of the range of the canon and now saw that some Aurors had positioned themselves at the edge of the forest creating a large shield invisible to Muggles that likely served to contain the situation and hindered any Muggle from escaping. In fact, all the workers had been gathered together and were gazing dimly ahead.

Nolwazi aimed her wand and fired an Expulso curse at the canon. It burst into pieces causing the water to splash out upwards. Grinning, Nolwazi apparated back to the spot where Kezban had been. As she was the seen as the leader of the wizards, many policemen focused on her. But she was good! Leading the Muggles into believing that they had cornered her, she fired a few spells and curses before disapparating as they charged causing them to clash together. Nolwazi fired several curses at the bunch tying them in up in thick ropes as suddenly someone attacked her from the side knocking her to the left and against a tree. Pain started to pump in her head and she felt herself being punched repeatedly into the face and once in the stomach. She screamed in agony coughing as two hands were pressing against her face. She opened her eyes she saw a wild face staring back at her grinning horribly.

“I’m gonna kill you, hm?” the man whispered so near her face that it sounded as if he had screamed at her nonetheless. “I’m gonna break your arm and then I’m gonna kill you. And nobody will care, you little black bitch!”

Her wand laid a few hands away from her. Nolwazi screamed and focused all her rage and energy she had left. The man flew away from her, kicked into the air by her wandless magic. He soared several meters through the air and landed hard on the ground. Breathing heavily, Nolwazi staggered towards the man who was now the one grunting in pain. With cold eyes, she stood over him and aimed her hand directly into his face. He stared at her with pure angst in his face.

“ _Flagrante Interno!_ ” Nolwazi hissed.

The man howled in pain winding uncontrollably. Satisfaction arose within Nolwazi as she watched him for a few seconds before her hand started to tremble and she abruptly lifted the curse. Still breathing heavily, she stared at the man who was still rolling around on the ground.

Around her the Aurors were now beginning to band together to fight off incoming policemen. Nolwazi could only stand there as if she had been frozen watching the chaos unfolding in the forest. Men in black uniforms filled the forest ground. Some policemen started to see that their numbers were dwindling and turned to make a run for it only to be stopped by the shield the Aurors had erected. They fell to the ground hit in the back by stunning spells.

More and more the grunts and cries became less to eventually leave behind an eerie silence. The sun which had shone brightly through the forest that morning was now being obscured by dark grey clouds sending their first drops down towards the earth. Around her the Aurors began to clear up the damage repairing stuff and wiping the Muggles’ memories. Nolwazi just stood there staring numbly at the scenery nearly missing the loud voices drifting dimly to her ear.

“I had my orders directly from the Federal Minister so I was outranking you in this case,” Kezban shouted at von Glockenspieler while pocketing her Two-Way Mirror. “But you chose to constantly ignore my orders! This whole battle here – that’s your fault! Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“They should have sent a proper witch then!”

“A proper–” Kezban stared incredulously at him.

“Well then, in that case I’m no longer needed here,” she said turning away from him. She approached Nolwazi who had picked up her wand and took her hand. The rain had begun to pour down onto the forest.

“Feel free to explain yourself to Federal Minister Frothard, He’ll be here any minute,” Kezban said grimly before disapparating.

* * *

Kezban sent her and Nolwazi’s report directly to the Federal Minister who seemed to have agreed with her after he had appeared on the scene. As Kezban told Nolwazi, Frothard had relieved von Glockenspieler of his duty after the site had been cleared.

“Though still no sign of the Centaurs,” Kezban sighed as she and Nolwazi walked through the foyer of the Federal Ministry.

“Course not,” Nolwazi commented, “They’ll be avoiding human populations. And they’re _very_ good at that!”

“Are you all right?” Kezban asked her.

Almost absentmindedly, Nolwazi touched the back of her head where she had hurt herself as the policeman had rammed her into the tree.

“I’m okay,” she lied.

Kezban nodded and stepped into one of the fireplaces.

“Say hi to Miss Leitfried for me. And to your parents,” she said as the green flames surrounded her. Nolwazi smiled and Kezban called out her address vanishing as the flames seemed to consume her. Nolwazi sighed and slowly made her way towards a bench at the edge of the stairs leading to the lower levels. Her hands shook. She bit herself on her lip and looked around finally spotting Mathilda approaching her. Her ever so stoic face showed an ounce of worry as she saw Nolwazi’s face.

“Hey,” Mathilda said sitting down beside her, “are you okay?”

Nolwazi shook her head frantically.

“No!” she cheeped. Her breathing accelerated and she gulped multiple times as her body began to shake. She trembled. Closing her eyes, she finally allowed for her tears to come through. And as she did so, Mathilda twitched for a moment before awkwardly pulling her friend into a hug, something she had never done with anyone. Nolwazi buried her face into Mathilda’s shoulder shaking and trembling. Slowly, she calmed down and looked at her friend.

“What happened?” Mathilda whispered.

Nolwazi just shook her head.

“Take your time,” Mathilda said, “But it’s better to let it out.”

“Can we go home?” Nolwazi asked sounding like a child talking to its mother.

Mathilda nodded and the two of them stood up slowly walking towards the waiting fireplace.

* * *

Mathilda stayed with Nolwazi and her parents to watch the evening news. Nolwazi herself was cuddling with her mother resting her head on her mother’s breast as they watched. When she had been a child, her mother used to nurse her when something troubled her to calm her down or comfort her or when she just wanted to sleep. Her mother had allowed her to nurse as long as she needed to and Nolwazi had self-weaned when she had turned eight. Remembering those times served much to calm her down now as the two news anchors appeared on screen and a voice sounded off-screen:

“ _The news of the day; today with Petra Gerster!_ ”

“Good evening and welcome to Today’s News, sports news later today with Kristin Otto,” Petra Gerster said.

“A good evening from me as well,” Kristin Otto said towards the camera before Gerster started presenting the main news of the day.

“In Los Cabos, Mexico, the seventh G20 summit has begun today. One of the first sideline meetings today happened between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin…”

Nolwazi didn’t listen too closely to the news this time waiting instead for a report on the police clearing of the forest. And sure enough, when the news from Germany came…

“Back to Germany: in North Rhine-Westphalia, the police have been called to Neheim Forest. For years, environmental groups have protested against cutting down the forest by the company RWE to mine the region for coal but today the police received reports from a group of activist occupying the forest who call themselves “Centaurs”. However, once the police did arrive at the forest, they found no trace of the occupants. The North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Construction which had initiated the large scale police operation and justified it with safety concerns is now under pressure and an investigation is underway.”

Nolwazi closed her eyes.

“Were you guys involved in that?” she heard her father ask.

“Yeah…” she responded, “Sort of.”

For now, Nolwazi was just relieved. Their fight had paid off…well, concerning the Muggles at least. No investigation would ever come close to discover the truth! The rest of the news was uneventful and afterwards Nolwazi and Mathilda went up to her room (Ellie followed a short time after settling herself on Mathilda’s lap as if it were now hers). At first, the two of them sat there in silence.

“It wasn’t just a Centaur eviction, was it?” Mathilda then asked. Nolwazi shook her head.

“I mean, it’s not the first time that we came into conflict with police on our mission…hell, even on our journey we had to fend some of them off, remember? But this was…it’s like they’re especially created to be the state’s beat up buddies! They seemed like they were enjoying it! I think if they’d be allowed to, they would not hesitate to just kill off some of the protesters on the street or in those forests or mines or whatever…I-I could hear…he sounded so…excited when he said that! _I’m gonna break your arm and then I’m gonna kill you. And nobody will care, you little black bitch!_ That’s what he said when he had me pinned down. Sometimes I wish I could just…beat them all up in return…smash every police station to bits! And our Aurors are not really better!”

She looked at Mathilda.

“Today, out there, they were prepared to just…stun the Centaurs and probably even more if Kezban hadn’t been there…”

Nolwazi just stared ahead for a moment.

“That _has_ to change!”

Mathilda tilted her head.

“I’m not sure whether that will happen soon; especially if one of those Pure-bloods is in charge. Funny though…they are a dying breed…all over the place, Half-bloods and Muggle-borns fill their spots. And they still have that much influence.”

Nolwazi nodded.

“Sometimes I find myself thinking: why can’t we just forbid them to partake into politics?”

“That would make us just as bad as those saying the same thing about Muggle-borns.” Mathilda mused.

A tapping at the window caused both of them to look towards it. Nolwazi stood up and opened it letting a brown owl fly in.

“Esther, you’re back!” she whispered.

The owl nibbled her finger affectionately and Nolwazi took the letter from her and opened it.

“Who’s it from?” Mathilda asked.

“It’s from Ri Eun-gyeong,” Nolwazi replied referring to the North Korean witch they had met on their journey, one of the many contacts Nolwazi had forged.

“She’s fine; they have made another successful operation…and she still wishes for the Statute of Secrecy to be lifted.”

Mathilda sighed.

“Another thing that’s likely not going to happen…not voluntarily anyway.”

They chatted for a little while longer before Mathilda went home and Nolwazi went to bed.

* * *

Mathilda found Nolwazi to be in a lighter mood the next morning as they both entered the elevator in the Federal Ministry of Magic. While Nolwazi was dressed in a light blue jeans jacket and trousers and a T-shirt in the colors of the rainbow, Mathilda wore simple dark robes, the total opposite of fancy as Nolwazi once called her sense of fashion. But Mathilda didn’t care about looks and style during work, she wore practical stuff.

“See you later,” Nolwazi said as the elevator stopped on level 3. No one else got off so Mathilda found herself with an elderly wizard dictating a letter to a quill and a middle-aged goblin reading a newspaper in Gobbledegook.

“ _Level 4: Department of Magical Law incorporating the_ _High Council of Witches and Wizards, the Office of Magical Youth Rights, the Office for Protection and Rights of Magical Beasts and Beings and the Office of Muggle Law._ ”

The goblin got off the elevator greeting a young witch who had evidently been waiting for him.

“ _Level 5: Department of Magical Travel and Transport incorporating the Broom Regulation Office, the Office for Apparition Licenses, the Floo Network Office and the Office of Magical Seafaring._ ”

The elderly wizard exited the elevator on this level but a young vampire entered. He had pointy ears, a skin as white as wax and, as he greeted Mathilda with a friendly “Good morning,” she could spot two fangs between his teeth.

“Just got my apparition licence,” he said proudly while pulling a small flask out of his robes.

“Congratulations,” Mathilda said formally with the hint of a smile. “How are the donations coming?” she asked referring to human blood donations, the only legal way through which vampires could acquire their much needed food source.

“Oh, they’ve increased this month,” the vampire said, “Although we do keep a healthy stock of animal blood just in case.”

“ _Level 6: Department of Magical Education incorporating the Office of Wizarding School Registration and the Office of Correspondence Courses._ ”

Mathilda briefly saw Head of Department Josef Trebitsch before the doors closed again.

“ _Level 7: Department of Magical Communication incorporating the Owl Post Office and the Office for Two-Way and Multiple-Way Mirrors._ ”

“ _Level 8: Department of International Magical Relations and Trade incorporating the Office of the German Delegation to the International Confederation of Wizards and the Office of Magical Long-distance Trading._ ”

“ _Level 9: Department of Experimental Magic._ ”

Mathilda stepped off the elevator.

“A good day to you,” she said to the vampire who nodded as the doors closed again. Mathilda now stood in a long round cave-like corridor with dark walls which led to a wide area which was illuminated by blue-ish light from above. The only way to get to this area was through a waterfall. As Mathilda did so, she didn’t become wet. The fall was meant to remove all secret enchantments, the first of several security measures of this place. Mathilda went up to a grey wall and raised a hand to touch it. The next security measure: access by touch. Those who weren’t allowed it didn’t get in, simple as that. Unless of course, someone from the department allowed them to enter; she now found herself in a long hallway with a wooden floor and stone walls illuminated by oil lamps and candles. The room was tall, high up above her was the ceiling. It was almost like entering a church. Smaller and narrower corridors on the left and the right led to the various chambers of this department where the many secrets of the magical world were discovered and new ways of magic were developed. Mathilda had come to know quite a few of these chambers – the Chamber of Ancient Arts, the Chamber of Mirrors or the Chamber of Gateways. But those were by far not the only ones. There were many mysteries inside this department. It was even said that no witch or wizard could explore everything on this place in their lifetime.

After the fourth set of corridors, Mathilda turned left and stepped into the Chamber of the Unknown – her current and favorite chamber. A wide round room like a temple, several doors let to further parts of this chamber. One of those – marked with the number 51 – was solely filled with a myriad of crates housing ancient and mysterious artifacts which had been collected over the centuries, most of which still waiting to be examined. As Mathilda walked through the round chamber, statues of various sizes turned to watch her moved to the center of the room. In the worst case they would defend the chamber from whatever threat that had manifested itself. However, that was, as of now, only and luckily a hypothetical scenario.

“What do we have?” Mathilda asked straight away as she approached two of her colleagues, Adam Jasinski and Orzala Ishaqzai.

“It’s from the Gundenus cave in Lower Austria,” explained Orzala straightening her hijab as she stood up to make space for Mathilda to examine the cylinder-shaped objects. “We have yet to find a spell to open them but there is certainly something inside. Muggle archeologists have found them 26 years ago when a group of Obliviators came to collect the magical items they found. It is believed to be of Neanderthal origin.”

“ _Fascinating!_ ” Mathilda exclaimed.

“Additionally, we have found several figurines, probably made my modern humans depicting women with large breasts and rears. They seem to have some kind of magical power as well but we don’t know exactly the purpose yet. Oh, and Julius and Henrik are examining the probably oldest wand in existence, constructed in 475 BC!”

“An indication of early magical trade between Romans and Celts or Germans?” Mathilda asked, more to herself than to her colleagues. Turning back to the cylinders, Mathilda began to move around the table thinking of a method to open them. There was this one way which she and Nolwazi had learned in the Caribbean…

* * *

The gigantic department store was filled to the brim with people! As Kezban and Nolwazi made their way through the crowd, Nolwazi looked around and used legilimency on the people around her in case the perpetrator was still there hiding in the crowd. The age of wizards being instantly recognizable through their “weird” choice of clothing, that is, wizard robes, was ending. More and more of them had half-blood or Muggle-born origins and a better knowledge of Muggle clothing.

“Oh damn,” Kezban cursed, “Too late again – they’ve brought it away already.” Sighing with frustration, she took out a small golden rectangular device as thin as paper that looked similar to a credit card only with no text on it. Instead, a map of the floor formed together with a red light that flashed in a certain rhythm moving from the center of the device to the left corner.

“It’s still on this floor,” Kezban murmured heading off into the shown direction. Nolwazi was right behind her as they approached a set of double service doors reading _Personnel only!_ A key pad had been installed on the right.

“ _Alohomora!_ ” Kezban whispered and the key pad automatically typed in the correct code allowing the doors to open.

“They’ve probably taken it to be stored somewhere since they couldn’t remove the spell,” Nolwazi mused taking out her wand as well as a uniformed man approached from around a corner spotting them.

“Oi, what are you doing here? Who–”

“ _Stupify!_ ”

Stunned by Nolwazi the man instantly collapsed to the floor as if he had passed out. She quickly obliviated him. Kezban moved around the corner and magically opened the next door to the right.

“Hey, wh–”

The two technicians collapsed after the two stunning spells hit them. Kezban quickly pointed her wand at the ATM machine. The two women sighed in relief and proceeded to obliviate the two men on the floor.

“Right,” said Kezban as they made their way back, “How about we treat ourselves to some fine food? I’d say we’ve earned it.”

“There’s a great Sushi bar on the floor above us,” Nolwazi replied.

“Okay, I’m buying,” Kezban said grinning.

* * *

The sushi was indeed excellent! Nolwazi and Kezban had ordered a sushi plate for two: 10 nigiri sushi (salmon, tuna and sweet shrimp), 8 salmon maki, 8 California maki with tuna and 8 California maki with deep-fried prawns and Teriyaki sauce.

“How’s your brother?” Nolwazi asked Kezban.

“Oh, Işık is fine,” Kezban replied taking the last salmon nigiri sushi. “His marks are good. He likes potions most.”

She smiled.

“Only two more years before he finishes school… I can’t even remember when–”

But she stopped. Along with their fellow customers at the bar Kezban stared ahead with her jaw dropped.

Nolwazi turned: on the opposite wall, a gigantic banner had appeared that hadn’t been there before. Nolwazi stood up and walked out of the vicinity of the bar to properly see the rest of the floor. This wasn’t the only one! Out of thin air the banners seemed to dissolve as if they had been part of the wall before. The majority of the banner was held in purple but part of it was red and as Nolwazi looked closer she could make out the shape of a phoenix. A series of yellow letters appeared as a booming voice out of nowhere suddenly spoke:

“ _The time has come! Too long this state has been crumbling under the weight of corruption and the crushing system of the economy! The people’s voices have been silenced! Stand up and rise out of the ashes as a new world will be built!_ ”

Nolwazi looked around: thousands of Muggles had stopped and taken out their smartphones filming the event unfolding before them.

“Can we stop this?” Kezban whispered clearly recognizing the use of magic with these banners. Nolwazi shook her head:

“Too many people; too many cameras;”

Suddenly the sound of a flame arose and the image of the phoenix which filled the banner right before Kezban and Nolwazi and seemed to rip itself out of the banner transforming itself into an actual phoenix! The magical bird made a penetrative high-pitched melodic sound almost unworldly, and opened its wings soaring through the shopping center through the glass ceiling and into freedom. A gasp had filled the hall as people were shocked at what had just happened.

Quickly, Kezban paid the bill to a frozen waiter still staring at the banner.

“Come on!” she urged to Nolwazi and the two witches used the distraction of the Muggles around them to disapparate.

* * *

Federal Minister for Magic Arbogastis Frothard was pacing around in his office impatiently. The meeting had been called immediately after Kezban had informed him right after they had returned to the ministry. This had been out of their hands from the get-go, perhaps it was downright designed to be so. All the department heads had been called to the meeting: Balduin Austrad (head of the Department of Magical Security), Miriam Ottokar (head of the Department of Magical Law) and the Federal Minister himself all came from one of the ancient 35 Pure-blood families, those families who claimed to have no Muggles in their family trees and who were traditionally so cut off from Muggle society that some didn’t even know what trousers were! Then there were Elvira Rohde, head of the Department of Magical Travel and Transport who came from a half-blood family, Josef Trebitsch, head of the Department of Magical Education, whose family had distant Muggle origin, Muggle-born Hầu Thành Cường, head of the Department of Magical Communication, Nele Riewerts, a Muggle-born witch from Föhr and head of the Department of International Magical Relations and Trade and finally Johannes Schiffner, head of the Department of Experimental Magic. Nolwazi and Kezban had just explained the event in detail to all present.

“So you’re telling me,” said Frothard, “that we can’t do anything because of these clever pheletones that are connected to this world wide network, this Interweb?”

“The internet, yes,” Nolwazi replied. “They are essentially not unlike the moving photographs we use. But one only needs a few second to send this video up to the internet allowing billions of people all over the world to see it. This has already gone out of our hands, Minister. The traditional methods of repairing and obliviating won’t work here. We don’t rely on technology thus we can’t track those video and block them or delete them. This is new ground, uncharted territory. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

She looked around into the faces of each department head.

“There is one positive aspect though,” she added. “The Muggles will not even dream of relating this to magic. They think too scientific for that, it would be irrational to them. They’d rather blame extraterrestrial beings for that than witches and wizards.”

Frothard nodded licking his lips resting his hands on the back of his chair.

“All right,” he murmured, “Let’s hope that they’ll take this simply as the message of a lunatic because this could very well be an existential threat to our secrecy. And I’ll have to explain that to Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Federal President of Germany AND to the International Confederation of Wizards who will undoubtedly send a delegation.”

He lowered his head for a minute before speaking up.

“Mr. Schiffner, I want you to assign your best people to work on new ways to spot and erase these…techological threats in the future, our very lives may count on that.”

“Right away, Minister,” the white-haired man replied leaving the office at once.

“Right, that’ll be all for the moment, I want you all to be extremely vigilant! We don’t know what exactly we’re dealing with yet.”

As everyone stood up, Nolwazi heard the minister harrumphing.

“Miss Robinson, I’d like a word with you,” Frothard said.

“Me?” Nolwazi asked stunned pointing to herself. Kezban looked equally surprised but exited the office along with the heads of department. Nolwazi sat down again while Frothard remained standing behind his desk.

“I’ve read some very interesting things about you,” began the minister.

“You’ve been around the world, something that very few witches and wizards do nowadays. And you’ve spent your entire life around Muggles, you dress like them, you’re quite confident and speak your mind. You also displayed throughout your life an affinity towards non-verbal and wandless magic, right?”

Nolwazi nodded.

“That’s correct, Mr. Frothard.”

“I’m assigning you to be my personal advisor on this new crisis,” Frothard revealed making Nolwazi look up to him with her jaw dropped. He raised his eye brows with a small smile.

“You heard right. I need proper guidance and I realize that people like me have very insufficient knowledge of how to handle a situation like that. So…”

He stepped around the table and looked Nolwazi in the eye.

“I’m gonna need daily reports on where the Muggles stand on this. Are they suspecting something, do they think this is a con, are they preparing to fight this, I need to be prepared for the worst.”

Nolwazi nodded gulping.

“I can understand if you may feel sympathy for them, after all, you come from them,” Frothard said, “Who knows, this might all be over in a week. But whoever is behind this had likely been waiting for this exact moment. There have been similar movements in the past. And as you are likely well aware, there are movements like this right now in several wizarding communities. Can I count on you?”

“Yes, sir,” Nolwazi said surprised that she used this English word, sir, as a reflex even when still speaking German.

Frothard nodded.

“See you tomorrow then.”

* * *

YouTube video “HOLY CRAP!!! TALKING BANNER DEMANDS THE END OF THE MERKEL REGIME!”:

“Are you seeing this??? That was like crazy!”

…

* * *

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:

_Mysterious floating banner stirs up German politics_

Berlin. It was a stunning site to be sure! At exactly 1:27 p.m. in the shopping center in central Berlin, several large banners were appearing…

…

* * *

ZDF-Spezial:

[Dr. Bernhard Langweilig, expert on new technology]: “To my knowledge, a projection like that is not yet possible…”

…

* * *

Sci-Fi forum on Reddit:

TheSingularity1995 wrote: Could this be THE first contact of an alien species, guys?

…

…

…


	3. The Spectre

Mathilda’s thought were far away from breakfast next morning. Munching slowly on her piece of toast, she wondered what would happen next and how she would be involved in. It was all over the newspapers! Even as she stared ahead towards her mother hidden behind the _Lübecker Magie_ , the Federal Minister of Magic stared back at her waving his arms as he made a speech which the picture couldn’t capture under the headline _Magical Banner Appearing in Muggle Shopping Center – Have we been revealed?_

“I wonder who’s behind all this,” her mother wondered as if on cue. “Did they say anything about that yet?”

Mathilda shook her head while sipping from her coffee.

“Even if they did, I wouldn’t be allowed to tell you?”

Her mother lowered the papers to look at her daughter with a half-amusing smile.

“Couldn’t you ask to transfer into another department, dear? I’d like to know more about your work.”

Mathilda looked at her focusing on her nose. She understood that her mother meant it as a joke knowing that she was fine with Mathilda picking that department and feeling well there which was mom’s highest priority.

“We’ve had worse cases in our history,” Peter commented who was hovering on his chair. “When Grindelwald was in power, we were almost sure that this was the end…”

“Yeah,” said Mathilda, “but you were already dead, so what gives?”

She stood up.

“I gotta go.”

* * *

Nolwazi found it to be a beautiful day, at bit hot though. Having changed her hair to light blue and wearing a straw hat, she strode out to apparate directly to the federal ministry when she spotted someone at the other end of the terraced houses. It was Laura Teich, her and Mathilda’s childhood friend, one of the earliest Muggles aside from her family who got to know that Nolwazi and Mathilda were witches.

“Hey, Laura!” Nolwazi called out before Laura could jump on her bike. Laura waved back and smiled as Nolwazi came closer.

“Hi there, Nolwazi, how are you?”

“I’m fine, thanks–”

“We rarely see each other lately,” Laura lamented.

“Yeah, sorry, quite busy nowadays,” Nolwazi replied sadly.

“I can imagine,” Laura said excited. “That banner in Berlin, those were your people, right? Wizards?”

Nolwazi nodded.

“We don’t know who did it yet, listen: that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Could you do me a favor and search the internet and social media on how people react to that stuff?”

Laura nodded.

“Yeah, sure.”

Nolwazi smiled as Laura hopped on her bike to ride to school.

* * *

Arbogastis Frothard felt like a prisoner in his own office. As soon as news reached him that the two representatives had arrived, he smelled trouble. He knew those guys very well, their arrogant tone like he was some kind of non-behaving child. Having worked in Paris as a representative for Wizarding Germany before becoming Federal Minister for Magic back in 2003, he was familiar with how things were seen there.

After a while, once you had been at the International Confederation of Wizards long enough, the perspective began to change, especially if you lost the connection to the reality of the situation in the various countries around the world. It was like constantly looking at a scale model or reading books about the country, its culture and situations without actually being there. You think you know everything when you actually don’t. You believe you can judge the situation because you have studied this law and that law but you don’t get the spirit of the people living there where the breach happened. Until you couldn’t see down from the high horse that you sat on watching those tiny processes in the countries beneath you on the Olympus that you thought was the ICW’s headquarters.

Frothard had always tried to get the bigger picture, to inform himself of all aspects possible, of alternative opinions before reaching his decision. And although he didn’t share them, sometimes being downright disgusted by them, he had to know them to access the situation. Which was why he had chosen that young girl Miss Robinson as his personal advisor; he was sure that they would tear her apart as well.

The two representatives were the witch Felipa Iglesias Ortiz and the wizard Prasit Chiwitammata. Miss Ortiz was a nice looking witch in her early 30s whose eyes seemed to pierce the room as if their occupant wanted to claim ownership to it. She carried herself like a person who knew what she wanted and her face looked like it was born with total confidence. Mr. Chiwitammata on the other hand looked like a friendly educator who could become stern if you only dared to give a wrong answer. He looked about as old as Frothard himself, in his early 60s with balding black hair, a few lines that started to show themselves and thin glasses.

“You realize of course that this situation puts us all at risk with that bloody stunt,” said Madam Ortiz.

“And what do you think we should have done?” Frothard retorted. “From what I’ve learned the situation is beyond our control, the Muggles have spread pictures of this all over the world within seconds.”

“Thanks to the inactivity of two of your employers who were at the scene when it happened,” Ortiz replied firmly. “They haven’t even tried to search for the perpetrator.”

“The ICW has declared the situation too severe to be handled by one government for this reason,” Mr. Chiwitammata added. “We don’t know who these people are or what their next target will be. It could expose us now in an instant.”

“We have been sent to ensure that a thorough investigation will manage to contain the damage and find whoever was responsible,” Ortiz said. “But first we have to interrogate the two witnesses. From the report, I can see that you haven’t fired them but chose one of them to be your personal advisor even!”

“She knows the current Muggle culture probably better than anyone of my employees I know,” Frothard answered. “I need real people advising me on this who are out there, not some expert telling me stuff from two decades ago. From what I’ve learned, we are seriously behind when it comes to knowledge on Muggle capabilities. We need to be prepared as this incident clearly shows and change our methods accordingly. Playing things by the book won’t help you in this case; we need an entirely new approach to this.”

Ortiz looked at Chiwitammata in an unimpressed way and turned back to the minister:

“We’ll be waiting in interrogation room 4, tell your witnesses to arrive there as soon as they step on ministry grounds.”

“No need,” a voice sounded from the door causing Ortiz to turn around: Nolwazi stood there sizing the representatives up and down. Frothard sighed.

“Miss Robinson, may I introduce to you Madam Felipa Iglesias Ortiz and Mr. Prasit Chiwitammata from the International Confederation of Wizards.”

A little quieter, he added:

“You’re early.”

Nolwazi nodded. Madam Ortiz stepped towards her.

“If you would follow us, Miss Robinson, we need to ask you some questions.”

“Okay,” Nolwazi replied following the older woman out of the minister’s office. She didn’t like the tone that this Madam Ortiz spoke in, like a ruler looking down from his high throne. She wondered what the minister must have felt when the two had barged in on him. Visits from the ICW were almost always a cause for concern for wizarding leaders: it meant some serious shit had happened within their community. The question was: what would the shot from yesterday entail?

* * *

“Interrogation of Nolwazi Robinson, special advisor to Federal Minister Arbogastis Frothard,” Madam Ortiz spoke to the quill beside her which began to write on its own.

“Miss Robinson, before your current duties, you worked in the Exposure and Misuse of Magic Office, is that correct?”

Nolwazi nodded and, looking at the quill, added: “Yes.”

“Could you please describe the incident that happened yesterday at a Muggle shopping area in Berlin?”

Nolwazi took in a deep breath.

“My superior Kezban Çalışkan and I had gone to said shopping center to fix a bewitched ATM machine – that’s a machine that stores and supplies money. The machine had been enchanted to bite anyone who wanted to draw money from it. The repair staff had already taken the machine to one of the service corridors so we headed there and successfully repaired it. After that we went for something to eat. That’s when the banner showed itself.”

Ortiz nodded studying what Nolwazi recognized as her and Kezban’s report on the matter. Mr. Chiwitammata cleared his throat:

“Why didn’t you attempt to stop the erection of the banner and the phoenix that broke out of it?”

“It all went down so fast…it…there wasn’t enough time to react to what was unfolding before us. And it would have been both pointless and foolish to attempt that. The Muggles had already been recording the incident on their smartphones. If we had interfered, it certainly would have exposed us.”

“Could you enlighten us, please, what is a smart phone?”

Nolwazi looked at the two.

“It’s a Muggle device which allows for a series of functions such as communication, access to the internet, making photos and recording events as videos and many more. Once a video has been recorded, it can be uploaded on the internet in a matter of seconds.”

“Which is why you didn’t try to interfere?” Madam Ortiz inquired.

Nolwazi nodded.

“Exactly.”

Ortiz and Chiwitammata made some notes of their own in addition to the quill recording the interview.

“Very well, Miss Robinson, you may go,” said Madam Ortiz.

* * *

As Mathilda stepped into the Chamber for the Development of Magical Protection and Enchantment, her colleagues, Adam Jasinski and Orzala Ishaqzai, were already waiting for her.

“So what’s this new project about?” Orzala asked.

“Is it about that banner that appeared?” Adam wanted to know.

“That appears to be the case,” Mathilda replied.

Just then, she heard voices behind her and turned around: through the door came department head Johannes Schiffner with his short white beard and shoulder-long hair. He was accompanied by a man with glasses whom Mathilda hadn’t met yet.

“Good morning, Miss Leitfried, I see you and your team are accounted for? This is Mr. Prasit Chiwitammata from the International Confederation of Wizards. He’ll be inspecting your new task in the coming months.”

“Our new task?” Mathilda asked looking at Schiffner’s face while avoiding direct eye contact.

“Yes,” said Schiffner, “you three are our best when it comes to Muggle knowledge, all of you are Muggle-born and, as far as I’m aware, have first-hand experience with their new interweb technology.”

“Your task is to develop a method to detect and eliminate evidence of magic on this interweb,” Mr. Chiwitammata said.

“Okay, first: it’s called inter _net_ ,” Mathilda said, “and secondly: what you’re proposing is virtually impossible! Such evidence can come in a variety of ways from dozens of countries on millions of different websites on the internet. That aside, to do this, we’ll need technology ourselves, someone with actual informatics knowledge who can develop a program to detect such things and possibly another place to set up the dozens of computers and operators we’d need for such a task because this far underground we most certainly won’t get an internet connection.”

Schiffner and Chiwitammata looked at each other.

“You will find a magical method!” Chiwitammata said firmly approaching Mathilda. “Can’t be that difficult now, can it?”

“And I’m telling you it’s impossible,” Mathilda replied staring stoically at him with just a hint of dislike in her expression.

“Mathilda,” Schiffner said calmly, “You came here to…how did you phrase it so wonderfully?…'pursue the unpursuable'. Here you have a chance of actually doing that. This comes directly from the Federal Minister himself and is backed up by the ICW. At least give it a try, okay?”

He motioned to encouragingly put his hands on her shoulders but Mathilda stepped back reflexively, visibly uncomfortable with even the prospect of being touched by someone else. She clutched her arms with her hands as if she was freezing and looked down avoiding looking to his face. She nodded. Schiffner sighed and stepped back nodding as well. Mathilda slowly turned to Adam and Orzala who had been watching the dispute the whole time.

“So…where do we start?” Orzala asked with an encouraging smile to Mathilda who was looking at them uncertainly. With her eyes darting between her two colleagues, she slowly said: “Well…let’s…gather some ideas first.”

* * *

“So far, the Muggles are at a loss of what has happened at the shopping center. On television news, they have made this clear by consulting technology experts who seem to not have any ideas either,” Nolwazi explained to Frothard who said at his desk, his fingers crossed. Ortiz was standing in a corner watching Nolwazi grimly.

“This could very well lead to a wide scale exposure of the wizarding world,” Ortiz commented and turned to Frothard:

“We’ll need to react quickly, Minister. We’ll close all access areas to magical sides from Muggle territory; sever all ties to Muggles immediately. Nothing can be allowed to tip them off!”

“ _Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!_ ” Nolwazi quoted quietly to Ortiz, almost in a whisper yet clearly audible. The ICW representative looked puzzled at her.

“This vision of yours cannot succeed,” Nolwazi told her looking straight into her eyes. “Our world is bound to be discovered at some point, magic can’t help us there. Already their technology is able to reveal our society even without willingly looking for it and it will not end with their communication technology. They have satellites, machines around the planet’s orbit that can make pictures of any spot on earth. Not even our strongest Anti-Muggle protection will shield us from those. So far, they refuse to even think of believing something outlandish about the Phoenix banners other than revolutionary technology. Only in certain circles of the Internet there are conspiracy theories. However, they only prove that Muggles would rather believe in aliens and politicians possessed by lizards than anything magical.”

Frothard nodded understandingly.

“She’s right. At the moment, this is nothing more than a stunt by someone wanting attention. But we don’t know whether it will stay that way. Perhaps this was just a test. They want to see how far they can take it. We need to find out what they want and why.”

He stood up and walked towards Nolwazi.

“Miss Robinson, how do you think we can find whoever did this?”

Nolwazi watched him than Madam Ortiz who watched her intently.

“Well, based on their message we can infer that they want to somehow change Muggle society, likely by ending the Statute of Secrecy…the phoenix…it stands for resurrection. But it also could be seen as something new coming out of the ashes that replaces the old. And they have made no effort of getting _our_ attention…if Miss Çalışkan and I hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t have noticed it. Most witches and wizards don’t watch the Muggle news let alone surfing the internet. Which means that whatever they intend to do can only be known in a Muggle environment. That’s where we have to start to investigate.”

The minister nodded again.

“Then, based on your expertise of their society, I want you to do this investigation, Miss Robinson. Find out who is behind this and help us locate them. If an exposure really is inevitable, we need to delay it for as long as possible.”

Ortiz stepped towards them both.

“You will report your findings to the Minister and me. Keep us up to date.”

Nolwazi nodded realizing that her position had changed again. She wasn’t just an advisor anymore.

She turned to leave ready to start this investigation at once when heard Ortiz calling her name once again.

“Miss Robinson? What is your opinion on the Statute of Secrecy? Do you think it has to end?”

Nolwazi sighed somewhat relieved as she had expected Ortiz to ask her that very question. With a sly smile she said:

“I believe in an ideal world the statute wouldn’t be needed. And if it were to be ended, it should be peacefully. But that seems doubtful in this climate, ma’am.”

* * *

She stood in the back while the minister gave his statement to journalists, not only from Germany but from other countries as well. Nolwazi noticed a young Asian woman of about 30 years among the journalists with long black hair and freckles on her nose. Turning back to her parchment, she quietly dictated the quill her message and used her wand to turn the paper into the shape of a bird. It silently flew to one of the elevators.

As Nolwazi made her way towards the exit, she saw the young journalist noticing her sizing her up as if to see who she was. Nolwazi gave her a slight smile and walked towards the steps leading outside.

* * *

The square before the now infamous shopping center was wide and filled with eight trees that, when viewed from above, formed a quadrangle. The floor was made of large white and grey tiles that formed a particular pattern. Watching the people coming in and out of the shopping center and holding a Muggle recording devise in her hands, Nolwazi decided to approach some of them.

“I think it must be some trick with new technology or something,” an elderly woman responded to Nolwazi’s question on what she thought about the banner.

“What do you think the purpose might be behind it?” Nolwazi asked.

“Some kind of political campaign or manifest; perhaps a new party outside of the establishment, we need that, I mean, you can’t even distinguish between social democrats and conservatives anymore!”

Next, a middle-aged couple:

“I don’t know,” said the husband, “At first I thought that someone wanted to show off with some new development but…if he had that kind of new tech, wouldn’t he use it for something more…useful?”

“So you don’t think that his rallying cry worked?” Nolwazi asked.

“Well, I’m not sure what they want to achieve with this,” the wife said, “All this rising-out-of-the-ashes thing…it sounds more like one of those Dan Brown conspiracy novels, you know? A hidden underground movement or secret society wanting to take over?”

And with a shrug, she and her husband moved on. Nolwazi watched them go intrigued that she came so close to the truth but deemed that theory as obviously fiction. Nolwazi moved on speaking to a young man with brown hair and a beard and blue eyes.

“Hi, would you like to tell me what do you think of the banner that appeared here yesterday? I’m doing a survey of people’s thoughts on it.”

The young man stopped and looked down for a moment, thinking. Then he looked back at her.

“Whatever it is, it is something new; something we haven’t seen before. I mean, this level of technology…it seems almost revolutionary…the way the phoenix came out of that banner, it looked almost magical.”

“What do you mean by magical?” Nolwazi asked, again intrigued, almost as if she wanted people to guess right.

“I think it is the beginning of a change we can’t perceive yet,” he said, “And I think it’s worth seeing what it will bring. Because I don’t believe it’s over. Something like that…you don’t do that just to shake things up once.”

And he strode of, hands in his pocket which gave him somewhat of a confident posture. Nolwazi gazed after him as he disappeared in a crowd of passing tourists and people going shopping. Had she just stumbled on a Muggle who had wizarding relatives? Or was he just guessing? It was honestly amazing how close Muggles came to being right about the wizarding world and still not considering it to be possibly true.

Looking at her smartphone, Nolwazi saw that it was almost time for the Federal Press Conference to begin. Using a Disillusionment Charm, Nolwazi managed to sneak into the building without being detected.

“How does the federal government assess this new Phoenix Movement?” one journalist asked.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert answered in his calm, almost monotone tone that Nolwazi always found to make one sleepy.

“The federal government, at the moment, does not see it fit to decide whether this new so-called movement is a possible threat to the state. At the moment, we simply do not have enough information on the aims of this group as it as of yet only sought attention in one spot. My colleague from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution can give you more details on their assessment in a minute but for now, the federal government has decided to wait until more information is available.”

The answer by the spokeswoman of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution didn’t reveal anything mind-blowing either; they had resorted to watch activities of the movement whenever they would come.

Nolwazi leaned at a wall, invisible to the Muggles around her, letting this information sink in. If the Phoenix Movement had planned to rally the Muggles up, they had failed immensely. But perhaps that wasn’t their plan at all. With only that action yesterday, one couldn’t really decipher the intentions of this group let alone hints on how to find out who was responsible.

* * *

Deciding that she needed a break to think of new strategies on how to get actual leads, Nolwazi apparated to Staffstraße in Hamburg. By now the sun was shining brightly onto the street and it was getting quite warm, if not hot. Nolwazi sat down in front of an ice-cream parlor and took out a piece of parchment and a quill. While enjoying a wonderful sundae, she began to compose a melody reflecting the uncertainty of what lay ahead for her two worlds.

“Excuse me?” she suddenly heard a voice say. Looking up, she found herself staring at the young journalist with the long black hair and the freckles on her nose. And beside her – Nolwazi couldn’t believe her eyes at first – the girl with the two different eyes and the scars on her faces she had seen this weekend! The girl with the cute nose and the big brown left eye that radiated shyness; Nolwazi almost didn’t hear why the older of the two women in front of her was saying:

“Do you mind if we sit down?”

“Uh…no, sure! Please…by all means!” she stammered and the woman with the black hair smiled and motioned for the younger woman to sit down first which she did. The black-haired woman introduced herself:

“Cho Chang, reporter for the International section of _The Daily Prophet_.”

She and Nolwazi shook hands.

“And this is Eva, my cousin–”

“Not by blood,” Eva pointed out in a voice filled with excitement among nervousness and stretched out her hand as well.

“Eva Reinecke; and you are…?”

“Nolwazi Robinson, nice to meet you,” Nolwazi replied to both of them.

“I couldn’t help but notice you at the ministry,” Ms. Chang began while taking in Nolwazi’s colorful choice of Muggle clothing as well as her light blue hair and straw hat, “You seem to be working directly for Minister Frothard, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I’m the Minister’s personal advisor on Muggle matters, particularly their technology and its influence,” Nolwazi answered, her eyes darting between Ms. Chang and Eva.

“I assume this role is even more important in light of recent events,” Ms. Chang said. “What do you think about this banner that has appeared yesterday and the supposedly responsible group which the minister has called the Phoenix Movement?”

Nolwazi took her time to answer still glancing between the journalist and her adoptive niece who remained silent but highly intrigued and Nolwazi could feel excitement emanating from Eva each time she looked at the blond girl.

“At this moment, it’s hard to say what exactly they’re up to as we don’t have much information. But my gut tells me that this is something new, something we’ve never seen before. Right now we don’t have any kind of lead. In a way we can thank Muggle press for spreading it. Ironically we wouldn’t have known of it otherwise.”

Ms. Chang nodded.

“Would you agree to an interview once you’ve acquired more information, Miss Robinson?”

“Perhaps…” Nolwazi said smiling.

“Right…if you do, here is my card.”

She took out a card which, to Nolwazi’s surprise, contained a number for a smartphone. The card read:

_Cho Chang –_ **杖** **秋**

_Reporter for the Daily Prophet_

Ms. Chang stood up.

“I have an appointment, I’m afraid. Eva, I want you to stay here, your father will come here in an hour.”

“Yes, Cho,” Eva replied in a manner that didn’t really showed joy but only submission with a touch of resistance. Ms. Chang nodded to both women and made her way to the street’s Floo network.

“ _Zhàng Qiū_ ,” Nolwazi murmured looking at the card, “ _Zhàng_ …” Nolwazi recognized that character referring to her last name. Translated, it meant staff or wand. Cho was part of one of the oldest Chinese wizarding families and one of the most widespread one having family members not only in China but also in Thailand and Britain. And apparently, Germany as well.

“You’re aunt seemed to be rather harsh with you,” Nolwazi noted glancing at Eva.

“It’s okay,” she said somewhat evasively with a small smile. “It’s for a good reason after all.”

Nolwazi hesitated to ask further as she sensed that feeling emanating from Eva that she had already felt the first time she had met her: of not belonging, of being something she didn’t want to be. Whatever it was, however, Nolwazi would be fine with it. She wanted to know more about Eva, get to know her. And the girl with the two distinctive eyes seemed to notice that. She took a deep sigh and let it out:

“I’m a werewolf.”

She watched Nolwazi’s reaction going from a surprised “Oh!” look to one filled with sadness and sympathy, something that she rarely experienced with other people.

And Nolwazi could sense that Eva felt relieved that she wasn’t resented. Gulping, she continued:

“My p-parents were Muggles. When I was just a baby, I was infected. My parents tried to defend themselves and me…and they were killed for it by the werewolf who attacked them. The Werewolf Capture Unit came in too late, they were already dead…they knew that I couldn’t remain in the non-magical world, no Muggle doctor would be able to treat me. So I was adopted by a wizarding family. I grew up far away from Muggle eyes and I’m not allowed to enter Muggle territory. I have to take this potion every day in the week of a full moon…it keeps my mind intact but…there is no cure…there, now you know,” she finished with a trembling voice looking down. Then, looking Nolwazi in the eye, she asked:

“Are you Muggle-born?”

A second long, Nolwazi’s eyes became narrow. She didn’t like that question at all. It was one of those questions she heard every time when meeting a particular kind of witches and wizards. It was one of those nasty, awful things that some wizards and Muggles had in common. But Nolwazi knew that Eva’s question didn’t come out of prejudice but out of interest. So she nodded.

“Both of my parents are Muggles, yeah. I’ve come to know both communities: the magical and the non-magical. It’s…not always been easy hiding it. Then again I meet people who are glad that they have the opportunity to live in a community where they can be themselves. In the past, there have been many Muggle parents who downright rejected their children for being magical as if it was some form of…they kicked them out of their homes. It has become less, particularly in Europe and America but it still happens occasionally. With me though, I never experienced such things. Although there are some of my parents’ friends who I know wouldn’t find that revelation amusing. But I do not see myself as being from the Muggle world or something. I’m…coming from both; which, at one point in my life, about five years ago, made me wonder whether I fit at all.”

Nolwazi looked up towards Eva again. Both stared at each other for some time letting the other’s story sink in. Nolwazi saw Eva’s eyes, the blue one and the brown one, travel all over her face inspecting every inch. And for a short moment, her eyes glanced down to Nolwazi’s upper body making Nolwazi do a small smirk.

If it hadn’t been for the bleep tone her smartphone made, Nolwazi and Eva could have stared at each other for eternity! Nolwazi ignored it at first as the two of them silently understood each other but after the third time, Eva quietly said.

“I think someone wants to tell you something.”

Nolwazi blinked and sighed pulling her smartphone out of her pocket. It was from Laura Teich, Nolwazi’s neighbor. Laura had sent her several links via WhatsApp.

“Ah, now we can finally see what you’ve been up to,” Nolwazi murmured to herself. She shifted her chair so that Eva could look at the phone as well and clicked on the first link.

“That’s a Muggle communication device, isn’t it?” Eva said. Nolwazi nodded.

“Yep; a friend has sent me links which apparently connects to this Phoenix Movement.”

The link took her to a Facebook page which was named _The Phoenix Party_. Nolwazi immediately recognized the banner again with the red phoenix on it. 3235 people had already liked it and 3392 had already subscribed! The page also had posted a link to their website as well as their manifesto which Laura had also sent her. Nolwazi clicked on the link.

“Holy…!” Nolwazi gasped.

_LET US RECLAIM OUR VOICE!_

_UNITE TO CREATE A TRUE DEMOCRACY!_

_LET US RISE FROM THE ASHES TO BUILD A NEW SOCIETY!_

“' _A shadow has risen from the ashes – the shadow of a new phoenix! The time of merely watching is over. It is high time that the Phoenix Party should openly share their ideals and goals with the people of this country and the world and tear down the veil that the ruling powers have erected to prevent the people from deciding their own fate!_ '”

Nolwazi let out a deep breath.

“Phew! – Now that is an ironic statement if I ever saw one.”

Eva looked at her.

“Why? What do you mean?”

“Read the intro exactly,” Nolwazi said pointing at the line she was referring to.

“They claim to want to tear down the veil when they won’t even do so themselves. With the veil they mean the Statute of Secrecy. Although the ruling powers could refer to either the Muggle or the wizarding government – perhaps even both! They took this text nearly word for word out of the original Phoenix Manifesto. Let’s see what else is there…”

Nolwazi scrolled down the manifesto reading the titles of the different chapters and skimmed through the content.

“What is the original manifesto?” Eva asked.

“Have you ever heard of Jáchym Kovář?” Nolwazi asked in return.

Eva shook her head.

“Well, he was a wizard from Prague who lived from 1890 to 2001. So he saw quite a lot of change in Muggle culture and development: cars, planes, telecommunication, nuclear bombs, the Cold War…he predicted that this way of life would be harmful not only to Muggles but also to wizards. So in 1970, he wrote the Phoenix Manifesto stating that the Statute of Secrecy was bound to be useless as wizards would surely be discovered by Muggles once their technology was sufficient enough.

But instead of benevolently ruling over Muggles, he proposed a revolution that would lead to a new government led by wizards _and_ Muggles however with the idea that all destructive Muggle technology such as weapons or nature harming technology should be eliminated. He also wrote about the changes the wizarding society should go through including banishing all Pure-blood related thought and granting beings such as goblins, House-elves or Centaurs full rights alongside humans. The opening paragraph contains the exact words as in here only with no attempt to hide words like wizards and Statute of Secrecy since it was intended for wizarding readership.”

She skimmed through the manifesto once more.

“Now this group expands on this by calling to stop all forms of Muggle agriculture and transportation such as cars, planes and cruise ships.”

Eva gazed at the manifesto page with a wide exited eye.

“There you are!”

Nolwazi and Eva looked up. Mr. Chang stood there in his yellow robes and with his walking stick. He approached the two.

“I see you found a new friend,” he said with a wide smile although Nolwazi thought that she could sense a small bit of relief emanating from him.

“Yes, father, this is Nolwazi Robinson,” Eva said.

“Good day to you,” Nolwazi said holding out her hand. Mr. Chang took it.

“Ho-chiu Chang,” he said. Turning to his adoptive daughter, he said:

“Would you like to stay here a little longer?”

Eva looked at Nolwazi who looked down before stating:

“I’m afraid I have to go back to work. Can I give you my phone number?”

Eva nodded rapidly. Nolwazi took out a piece of parchment and wrote down her number before giving it to her new friend.

“You can call me any time you need,” she said with a smile.

Eva hesitated for a while before pulling Nolwazi into a hug.

“Thank you!” Eva said crying happily. Nolwazi let her stay in that position a little longer before the blond girl let go. Smiling, Nolwazi waved as Eva took her father’s hand before he disapparated with her. Nolwazi stared at the spot where they had been for a while before turning to collect her stuff.

* * *

She arrived at Frothard’s office about ten minutes later. He sat at his desk and Madam Ortiz sat on the other side. Both stood up as Nolwazi entered.

“Miss Robinson, please sit down. What do you have for us?” Frothard said.

Nolwazi sat down clutching her hat in her hands.

“Whoever they are, they’ve started to present themselves on the internet as a new party of the people or maybe a new protest party. One that’ll challenge the establishment at least…they created a website in which they present radical new ideas. The thing is…they veil their words in such a manner that Muggles won’t recognize it as such but what I believe they’re alluding to is an end to the Statute of Secrecy.”

Nolwazi saw Frothard and Ortiz exchange glances.

“Are you sure of this?” Ortiz asked.

“Yes, Madam.”

“Is there any way we can access that…website of theirs from here?”

Nolwazi thought on this for a moment.

“I could check if their manifesto can be printed.” Nolwazi suggested.

“Please do so,” Frothard said, “And keep us up to date. I want Muggle opinions as well as their activities on this Muggle net.”

“Perhaps your Department of Experimental Magic could help us out there?” Ortiz suggested.

“I’ve already instructed them to find a way to access and disrupt their presence,” Frothard told Ortiz.

“Very well, Miss Robinson, you may go.”

Nolwazi stood up immediately. Once outside the office she quickened her pace to the elevator. She wasn’t sure what she ran away from but somehow she felt unwell as if she had done something she wasn’t supposed to. Was it that? Or was she merely relieved to get away from Ortiz’s presence.

“ _Level 1: Foyer incorporating Reception & Information, the Floo Network, the Ministry Archive Room & Library, the coffee shop, Magical Maintenance as well as Security Services._”

The elevator doors opened and Nolwazi stepped out heading for the coffee shop. She found Mathilda there already waiting along with her colleagues Adam and Orzala.

“Hi guys,” she sat to the trio sitting there.

“Hi Nolwazi,” Orzala said with a smile.

“How are you doing?” Mathilda asked.

Nolwazi sighed.

“I don’t know…I have a better idea what this Phoenix Movement wants to achieve but that doesn’t help us much. They don’t leave any traces. They confine themselves to the internet, for now, and they have founded a political party disguised as a muggle protest party that fights the establishment…which could help them in the east maybe and in city districts where more poor people live. But until they make another stunt like that banner, I don’t think magical methods of investigation will help much.”

“Which is likely why we’ve been tasked with creating a method of eliminating evidence of magic on the internet,” Orzala mused.

“We can’t talk about that,” Mathilda reminded her.

“I think in this case we should,” Adam defended Orzala while regarding Nolwazi. “Anything that helps us all to capture this group and keep the Stature of Secrecy intact; I just wish this bloody representative would stop interfering with our work.”

“Why? What does he do?” Nolwazi asked.

“He keeps questioning our methods while simultaneously understanding nothing of the very concept of the internet,” Mathilda explained. “And he always asks us how far we have come when even coming up with a suitable and useful idea for a method that could actually work is probably the biggest question of the century!”

Nolwazi tilted her head.

“They’re afraid; afraid to lose their job, their reputation, their…power. And their very way of life.”

“What do you think about the movement, Nolwazi?” Mathilda asked. “Do you think it has actually good intentions?”

Nolwazi cupped her hands together and leaned them against her lips, her signature thinking pose which Mathilda had come to dub the Sherlock-Holmes-pose.

“It’s _the_ question! And we are more divided by it than ever before…should we reveal ourselves and how? There have always been opponents to the idea of hiding ever since it was proposed. And every hundred years after the statute was enacted…Grindelwald, Pinkstone, Kovář…only a few voices of many…”

She looked into the faces of her colleagues sitting at the table with her.

“What Mathilda and I have seen shows us a wizarding world that may be on the brink of collapsing. In Syria, Tibet, China and Korea, the local witches and wizards want to overthrow the Muggle regimes that oppress their Muggle brothers and sisters. The wizarding communities of Palau and Kiribati want to help keeping their islands above the water. And in Brazil, indigenous witches and wizards fight against farmers and giant companies who want to cut down their forests to make furniture, soy fields and other monocultures. The wizarding community of Nigeria is concerned with witch hunting and want to reveal themselves and eradicating misconceptions about witchcraft while the Arabian Ministry of Magic aims to go underground even further if that is even possible. Their Minister for Magic couldn’t even bring the king of Saudi-Arabia to listen to her just because she is a woman. Then there are the wizarding communities of Poland-Lithuania, Hungary and Russia who want to keep the statute because they think that Muggles aren’t worth the help of wizards…”

Nolwazi paused again before stating:

“I honestly can’t say which side I would take. Both sides have reasonable arguments. Yes, we could help Muggles a great deal as there is no denying that we have superior methods and abilities in many cases but…not only would it shatter their entire view of the world, they most certainly would not welcome us with open arms, so…”

But they never heard what she was going to say next as in that moment a memo in the shape of a bird came flying towards them landing before Nolwazi. She opened it quickly and read what was written inside.

“What is it?” Mathilda wanted to know.

“It’s a reply from the Office for Protection and Rights of Magical Beasts and Beings. I’ve ask them to report any unusual activity. Apparently several local Centaur communities have disappeared without a trace. The Vampire House of Rodtant seems to have vanished as well, their manor is empty although no sign of a struggle, same with the Centaurs…the only violent act was committed by a crew of _Klabautermänner_ who seem to have committed mutiny and captured a wizarding trading ship.”

The four sat there, silent for a moment.

“What does all that mean?” Mathilda wondered.

“Someone must have made them a huge promise if they’re willing to leave their life behind,” Orzala mused.

“But the Vampires?” Adam asked, “Weren’t the donations more than stable for the entire week?”

“Perhaps they want to have their 'fun' with humans again,” Nolwazi mused. “The Rodtants have always been controversial in that regard.”

“But I thought it wasn’t illegal anymore to participate in Vampire celebrations,” Orzala said.

“Only if the humans consent to it,” Mathilda reminded her. “It’s not illegal if you chose to become a Vampire yourself. It must be voluntary though. Those people have been fighting for that right for decades and their still met with disrespect to put it mildly.”

“Whatever the case, it seems that the Phoenix Movement does engage with magical affairs…only not in a manner that would be seen as problematic or illegal. In a way that you wouldn’t guess that they’re behind it. Drawing those in need to them…the uncontent and left-behind, those which the government doesn’t care about, magical or not…they’re playing a very clever game.”

Nolwazi sat upright, her eyes shining with revelation.

“This is something that we cannot find or bring down with conventional means. And if they get the better of us…we may not even want to.”

* * *

These thoughts rested with Nolwazi even as she arrived home. Until dinner, Nolwazi sat either in her tent or in her actual room lost in thought for a while, occasionally playing her newly composed melody on her violin.

“You’re unusually quiet,” her father noted when they all sat at the dinner table.

“Oh…just a lot going on, that’s all,” Nolwazi said smiling.

“Is it about that banner, honey?” her mom inquired.

Nolwazi nodded.

“We just don’t have any leads. It’s frustrating.”

“That can sometimes happen,” mom said, “I remember my brother being totally down when he couldn’t solve a case. And this one seems to be pretty big. All of my students are talking about it. Apparently, it is hyped up quite well on the internet. I had to confiscate several phones today.”

“What is your impression on that banner and this movement?” Nolwazi asked her parents.

“Well,” dad said, “If I didn’t know that magic was involved, I would speculate on some radical new technology. Holograms like that aren’t theoretically impossible but so far our technology isn’t able to produce something this realistic. If they don’t appear again, I wouldn’t mind it so much.”

“I found the message to be quite capturing, I don’t know,” mom said, “I think some people mind find something new to rally behind.”

“They have set themselves up as a new protest party,” Nolwazi mentioned, “So maybe you will hear about them again. That is, if they can collect many votes.”

* * *

Mathilda came to watch the evening news with them which wasn’t a particularly interesting affair today, at least concerning the banner. Not newsworthy today apparently. Not even a report about the movement’s new presence on the internet and their official party registration. Perhaps the journalists wanted to wait whether this thing become bigger before reporting it like it was something new. As Nolwazi had checked shortly before the news started, multiple online news articles had at least made small articles concerning that. Perhaps the traditional news agencies couldn’t keep up with their digital rivals.

Nolwazi found it hard to be able to sleep that night. For what seemed like hours (maybe it actually were hours) she rolled around in bed trying to find a comfortable position to falling asleep in. But it just wouldn’t work. Finally, she got up frustrated and tip-toed downstairs to the back door leading to the garden and the veranda. Sitting outside against the door, Nolwazi enjoyed the cooler temperatures and the still blue but almost black sky. After a while, Ellie came up to her rubbing her body against Nolwazi’s knees purring. Nolwazi patted her head which earned her a short meow roughly translating into something like _I like that you’re here. Keep stroking me!_

Nolwazi stood up and focused herself: her body began to shrink; her eyes turned green and changed shape. Fur began to protrude out of her skin until a tiger-striped cat sat next to Ellie where Nolwazi had sat moments before. Ellie approached Nolwazi’s new form and sniffed her. Nolwazi began to purr. Finally, she started to stroll across the veranda and Ellie followed her as they began to explore the night.


	4. Cui Bono?

For the past couple of days Kezban had felt a bit…down. She had gotten so used to work with Nolwazi that now that that girl had been surprisingly promoted by the Federal Minister himself things felt like half of a whole. Her office wasn’t particularly big. The Exposure and Misuse of Magic Office had always had this reputation of being the Office for the Restoration of Grave Magical Damage’s little sister doing the small work arresting small criminals, pranksters, tricksters. It wasn’t seen as being a particularly engaging work, perhaps because they were essentially overshadowed by the other offices of the Department of Magical Security such as those people responsible for restoring damage to Muggle sites and obliviating Muggles who had seen too much; or the the Office of Muggle Relations whose people spread “evidence” that magical things or creatures were really just hoaxes. Then there were the Aurors: highly regarded, hugely respected. They were the ones going into real danger, hunting the most dangerous of people. It was a lifestyle that Kezban would never subscribe to. Not many of them dared to commit to a relationship both because their loved ones could always be subject to kidnapping or taken as hostages and because the Aurors themselves didn’t have any pressure points worth exploiting. Plus, they had the authority to kill which, at least for Europe, was pretty unique.

And now, all the heads of office were gathering for a meeting in the map room listening to Head of Department Balduin Austrad as he explained to them the new situation they all found themselves in:

“We now know that the group responsible for the banner calls itself the Phoenix Movement. Now, so far, they are lying low, we haven’t heard of any activity from them since. But the minister believes that this wasn’t a one-shot. They are still out there and we don’t exactly know what they are up to. Therefore, this department is now on 24/7 alert. The minister told me that he has someone special who is investigating this, someone with first-hand experience. But we are to remain vigilant, anything that only remotely could look like it has something to do with this is to be reported and the people linked with it detained. This has also been made clear to all ministers at state level. Now, you will–”

But he stopped as a light humming came from one of the maps depicting the entirety of wizarding Germany: a green light shone where the city of Düsseldorf was located. Everyone stretched their neck to take a better look at it and a murmur filled the hall. The green light could only mean one thing – someone without license had performed the Killing Curse! The humming vanished but the light remained.

Evelyn Atubo, head of the Auror Office, stood up and headed for the Auror Office to mobilize a unit. The others remained, eager to find out what happened. A moment later, the giant mirror to the left of the map vibrated and the image dissolved turning into one of what appeared to be the hallway of a house.

“We’re at the site, Mr. Austrad,” Madam Atubo’s voice could be heard. The unit moved forward. Wand lights illuminated a dark living room. It was raining outside, a down-pour actually leaving no sunlight into the room. And there, in the very center of the room…lay a body. The dead man had evidently been on his knees in the last moments of his life. His upper body had fallen backwards and a wand lay beside him. Kezban stood up recognizing the man: it was the body of Ferdinand von Glockenspieler, the Minister for Magic of Palatinate. One of the Aurors took the minister’s wand and held it against her own.

“ _Prior Incantato!_ ”

A ghostly image of a body seemed to flow out of the tip of the wand and as the image grew, they could see that it was the body of von Glockenspieler himself!

The image faded and Madam Atubo turned the mirror so that her face could be seen.

“It appears he committed suicide, sir,” she deduced.

“Either that or someone else used his wand to have it appear that way,” Austrad said. Then suddenly, he shifted his weight.

“Madam Atubo, search the house for painted marks!”

Atubo nodded and turned the mirror around again. After inspecting a part of the room, one of the Aurors called out to her. Next to an overthrown armchair, there was a sign on the wall seemingly painted with blood: A thin circle and inside the letters AP.

“AP! AntiPure!” Madam Atubo gasped.

Kezban frowned.

“Who are they?”

Austrad turned to her.

“They are a radical group who specifically targets Pure-bloods. They’ve been around since 1971. The 35 ancient families have been especially targeted. Luckily, they haven’t eradicated us yet. They’re bent on destroying our very way of life! _Any_ member is to be killed on site, no exception! That’ll be all.”

* * *

Nolwazi’s bedroom was larger than versions of it in neighboring terraced houses. She had used an Undetectable Extension Charm to enlarge it in order to fit more things into her room: books, magical objects she had obtained over the years. One of which was a wizarding tent. Nolwazi had bought it shortly before her journey with Mathilda. The interior looked like a comfortable home which Nolwazi had designed herself. After a short entrance room you walked into the large sitting room. On the left were two desks and between them was the entrance to the kitchen. The left desk had been used by Nolwazi and there were still books lying around as well as rolls of parchments and a typewriter as well as some artifacts from her time at school such as the medal for the most efficient Animagus transformation. Mathilda’s desk was filled with stuff about divination from all over the world, among other things a crystal ball, a small Pensieve filled with dreams, a mirror, a book on Astrology and a small bowl for burning certain herbs such as sage and mallowsweet. The right side was mostly covered by book shelves and filing cabinets as well as a fireplace in front of which were two armchairs and a table with a chessboard. But there was also a door on the right which led to the potions lab. Straight ahead was a small corridor which contained stairs to the upper level as well as the entrance to the enormous greenhouse which housed magical plants from all over the world and sometimes magical creatures associated with said plants like Bowtruckles. The upper level contained a long corridor which several doors: at least three bedrooms and a bathroom.

Nolwazi stood in front of one of the filing cabinets going through notes she had made during her travels on various historical instances of secrecy breaches; the most famous ones happened during the first half of the 20th century when Grindelwald’s rise had also given rise to numerous independent organizations mainly in Africa and Asia where witches and wizards sought to use their magical abilities to fight off Muggle imperialists. Grindelwald’s motto, “The Greater Good” was used countless times in those countries albeit most of _those_ witches and wizards actually fought for a better world, not just a world dominated by wizards. Yun Bo-yeong in Korea, Nkosazana Mthethwa in South Africa, Ajay Khondakar in India or the famous alchemist Zou Yan in China.

In fact, the Global Wizarding War that erupted in that time would have almost certainly led to total exposure to Muggles had they not been busy fighting their own war leading to their chaos protecting wizards from actual exposure. Although, as Nolwazi found out when travelling to the US, there were still instances where members of the US Army witnessed magical activities describing them in diaries, letters and reports most of which were later either dismissed as hallucinations under stress or kept from the public such as actual film material some of which had been managed to get hold of by MACUSA operatives. Because of activities of descendants of the so-called Scourers, MACUSA still had a policy of no risk taking and their Auror forces felt much more militaristic than European ones; they went not just after dark wizards but after all sorts of criminals. Rumor had it that they were even prepared to kill those Scourer-descendants to protect Secrecy. Even with Rappaport’s Law being repealed in 1965, the American wizarding authorities were still very tense about keeping the secret. Nolwazi could only imagine how _they_ reacted to the appearance of the banner in a country far away from them.

Putting her notes back into the cabinet, she went to the entrance of the tent.

* * *

When she walked down the stairs and into the foyer, Nolwazi could see a crowd of journalists gathering in front of the Federal Minister as well as Head of the Auror Office, Evelyn Atubo who just finished her statement:

“...was found on the wall next to the body. All Auror Offices have been alerted to this crisis and security will be tightened around Pure-blood family’s residences should they wish so.”

Atubo stepped aside to let Minister Frothard speak.

“This…is a very serious issue. Attacks on families based on their backgrounds are not tolerable and we will do everything in our power to make sure that this group which called itself AntiPure is to be eliminated! Thank you.”

As cameras flashed, Nolwazi saw Cho approaching her.

"What was this about?" Nolwazi asked.

"Apparently, a radical group of wizards has surfaced bent on killing Pure-blood families. They call themselves AntiPure; the Minister for Magic wants them eliminated," Cho said.

“Oh, sure, he’d be,” Nolwazi commented, “He is one of the 35. No matter his view, he and his family are automatically on their death list.”

"Have you found out more on this Phoenix Movement?" Cho wanted to know.

Nolwazi sighed.

"It seems they're focusing their attention to the Internet now. They had an official website as well as a Facebook page where they take on the role of a new protest party."

Cho's eyes widened suddenly.

"It's a diversion," she whispered, "Distracting our departments with killings like these so they can strengthen their influence on Muggle society..."

Nolwazi shook her head slightly.

"No, I think this is a separate group...although it would fit in with the Phoenix Party's views."

Nolwazi looked Cho in the eye.

"But you're right, though: it does provide a nice distraction for them. Especially if they focus on areas our investigation methods can't detect. You need to keep writing about them, explain their methods to wizarding society, take pictures of their pages. People seriously underestimate this threat."

Cho nodded and headed off while Nolwazi headed towards the elevators to give the minister and Madam Ortiz her latest report.

* * *

The seemingly endless corridor connecting the various chambers of the Department of Experimental Magic was lid with torches on the wall making it seem part church, part dungeon and part Metro tunnel, one of those old ones. Mathilda leaned with her back against the wall in a sitting position staring ahead, lost in thought. She had no energy left to go up to the foyer for some coffee. In fact, she wasn't really up to work at all! And ahead, she could see more quarrel as clear as if it were happening in front of her. She came out of her trance when she heard her two colleagues, Adam and Orzala, sitting down next to her.

"Have you seen something?" Orzala asked her stroking Mathida's arm.

"Nothing good..." Mathilda murmured trying to keep her vision in her memory. They almost always faded so very fast unless they were of a violent, disrupting nature, something that was bound to happen.

"Why are we doing this, Tilda?" Adam asked also staring ahead. "We're wasting our time with this!"

"Try arguing with ICW members..." Orzala moaned. "Urrgh, we had SUCH a good time in the Chamber of the Unknown...those Neanderthal cylinders! Such rich memories! I always thought of exploring other chambers, you know?"

She looked at Mathilda.

"Like you first did before you came to ours...but I would loved to have done it on my own terms, voluntarily."

"Don't we all?" Adam added. He too looked to Mathilda who had remained silent so far.

"What chambers have you visited in here?" he asked.

"The Chamber of Ancient Arts, the Chamber of Mirrors, the Chamber of Wishes, the Chamber of Gateways..." Mathilda listed, "So, basically a scratch on the surface. They say this place is infinite!"

She looked down the corridor, longingly. "I could spend months in here, years even! Just...discovering what's inside here...I have travelled the world...visited _insane_ places...but never have I been in something like this!"

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling with memories.

"But magic does have its limits," she mused. "What we're tasked to do cannot work!"

"And yet they have given it to us," Orzala said, "Isn't there the tiniest chance that there might be more to it than their wishful thinking?"

Her voice sounded weakly hopeful.

Mathilda looked at her then stared ahead again.

"We’re so used to the belief that magic is so superior because for a long time it was. But we ignored _their_ advancements. Their technologies; Oh, the theories and predictions that are out there among their scientists! Self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, gene manipulation, the singularity!"

She sighed.

"There will soon be a time where they will be on par with us. And if we’re not careful…they may become far more powerful than we can ever hope to be.” Adam: “And here we are seeking a way to retaliate against their technology, disrupting it. And for what? So that some officials at the ICW in Paris can _feel_ better?"

"Ever since we’ve hidden ourselves we’ve been on a warpath," Orzala added, "Mistrusting them, manipulating them, ridicule them…we should be here – with the greatest minds of wizarding researchers – thinking about ways to peacefully co-exist again, especially in these times."

"Do you honestly think that that would be possible?" Mathilda asked her, her usually stoic voice now filled with doubt.

"I'm Muggle-born," Orzala said shrugging, "I have to hope."

They sat there for a few more minutes in silence before they all got up to return to what Adam sarcastically called "work".

* * *

Nolwazi stood at the exact place she had been standing a couple of days ago. There, right in front of her, on the opposite wall, the banner had appeared and the phoenix had soared towards the roof. She stared ahead lost in thought. Why hadn't they restricted themselves to the internet in the first place if they were focusing on Muggle society? Did they plan for two witches to witness their stunt? Was it a warning? A call for revolution? A statement? That the wizarding governments were helpless against these new methods and they just wanted to prove their point? And what was their goal? How would they proceed? Would announcements and speeches on the internet be all that there was hoping to rouse up the Muggles into revolting? Or had they planned something bigger and bolder?

Nolwazi sighed as she stood there, hands in her pockets.

Why did she expect to find answers _here_? She did exactly what she herself had made clear to the minister: using old, conventional methods of investigating.

Turning around, she made for the escalators and finally through the exit. The grand square in front of the shopping mall was filled with people but there were occasional empty spots between the crowds. Nolwazi walked onwards. She had time. She was free to investigate in her own way. Perhaps she was thinking on too grand a scale...if all those radical groups that were now appearing served as a nice if independent diversion to the Phoenix Movement, then maybe the banner itself had been both a rallying cry _and_ a distraction at the same time! Maybe even –

"Routine control, your ID please!"

Nolwazi froze! Her breathing became faster. Almost out of instinct she touched the back of her head where that wound had been when she was in the forest. The voice of her father sounded in her head: _no matter what, talk slowly, don't raise your voice, do what the police tells you to do, don't fight back..._

The two policemen approached her, Nolwazi gulped. She reached into her pocket and took out her Muggle ID card. One of the policemen took it. Studying it with a frowning face, he occasionally looked back at Nolwazi as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He then showed her ID to the other policeman.

"Where are you from?" the second one asked.

"Lübeck...I'm from Lübeck."

"I mean where do you originally come from," the second one added.

"I am a German citizen!" Nolwazi responded with a slight hint of anger in her voice.

"Answer the question!" the first one said sharply.

"Why? It says where on the card!" Nolwazi replied defiantly.

"Watch your tongue, girl!" the second one sneered.

Nolwazi just glared at him.

"All right, turn around, you're coming back to the station with us!"

As the first one attempted to turn her around, Nolwazi quickly stepped back and made two subtle gestures. The policemen immediately looked around confused and Nolwazi used that distraction to grab her ID card and walked past them. She didn't look back but quickened her pace looking for a spot to disapparate. For a brief moment, just out of spite, she thought of modifying the policemen's memory maybe even wiping it completely! But she didn't. Before the two were coming to their senses again, Nolwazi had already vanished.

* * *

Nothing! Not even a single biting doorknob. Kezban found that she had never less to do than today. Ever since that thing in the shopping center, it seemed that Muggle-baiting had completely ceased, at least in Berlin and Brandenburg. So, Kezban had offered the Auror Office to help in that AntiPure crisis. So she had been monitoring the situations at various homes of Pure-blood families, collecting reports and updating Austrad and Madam Atubo.

"Here goes another one!" she shouted when a green light flashed on the map of Germany. Then another, up to five.

"Where is it?" Madam Atubo asked.

"Near Kassel," Kezban replied.

"That's the Degenhard Residence!" Austrad gasped.

"I'll go down there," Madam Atubo declared and gathered together a group of Aurors.

The map showed no more green lights. After a minute of eerie silence, Madam Atubo called on the Two-Way-Mirror. The sound of fire could be heard in the distance.

"A few managed to apparate out of there before the explosion hit," Madam Atubo reported. But they came very quickly. Five confirmed dead, in quick succession, then the explosion hid. It must have shaking the mansion preventing focused disapparition. A few have splinched themselves, several severely. The house is...completely destroyed."

"Oh my god!" Austrad gasped his hand over his mouth. He turned around thinking quickly.

"I must report this to the minister," he said, "This has to become the top priority."

Kezban stared after him wondering whether this day could get any worse...

* * *

She had come way too early to their date. Nolwazi sat down at the café at Staffstraße using the time until Eva arrived to search the Internet for regional news. Perhaps the Phoenix Movement concentrated on smaller communities first, testing out what they could do and how far they could go. But she found less than nothing! What she did find was a new YouTube channel created by "The Phoenix Party" which basically was the visual version of their manifest.

Nolwazi sighed frustrated and looked around. Witches and wizards were roaming about shopping, meeting, going to the bank. And there, in the middle of the crowd, she could see a lovely familiar face with two different eyes...

Nolwazi beamed and rose from her seat. Eva spotted her and ran up to her stopping only inches apart. her hands nervously clenched to fists and Nolwazi could see her breathing heavily. She approached the blond Muggle girl and hugged her deeply. Nolwazi could feel how tense Eva was even now. She stroked her head, then let go of her. Eva gulped then looked at Nolwazi and a shy smile formed around her lips.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey there," Nolwazi said with a bright grin.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine," Eva said biting her lip. "I actually came her myself! All by myself, stepped into the Floo Network, found my way here...I...I like that."

Nolwazi smiled affectionately.

"Do you wanna sit down?" she asked Eva who nodded quickly. Eva pulled up a chair and helped Eva to sit down. A waiter came forward.

"What'll it be?"

Nolwazi looked at Eva.

"Well..."

They eventually ordered two sundaes. As the waiter left to carry out their order, Nolwazi focused her attention on Eva again.

"So..." Eva began regarding Nolwazi with interest. Nolwazi kept looking at her with a friendly expression and waited for her to find her words.

"...have y-you had a nice day so far?"

Nolwazi chuckled but quickly replied.

"Yeah, it was all right...well, mostly. Nothing new really."

"So you haven't found out anything more about that movement?" Eva wanted to know.

Nolwazi shook her head as the waiter came back to bring them their sundaes.

"I'm at a loss for the moment..." Nolwazi mused playing around with her spoon before tucking in.

"So how was your day?" she asked Eva.

The blond girl looked down at her sundae.

"I was mostly at home. With Mom and with Auntie Cho's daughter...her name's Katie. I often play with her when Cho is not around. And she is always so funny, she does all those...things, like, letting things float and stuff."

Eva stopped and looked at Nolwazi.

"Do you go out often? Do you...travel...to places?"

Her tone now sounded almost greedy as if she wanted to grab Nolwazi's memories of travelling. She could sense a longing emanating from Eva.

"I've been around," Nolwazi said casually keeping her spoon in her mouth for a while slowly drawing it out again while looking at Eva. She could sense that there was something more, something specific in her question but refrained from using legilimency to discover what it was.

"When I finished school, me and a friend travelled the world to discover how witches and wizards lived in other places."

"So you must have met quite many people?" Eva asked further.

Nolwazi nodded with a small smirk slowly getting where Eva was going with this.

"I did indeed."

"So you have...experience?" Eva questioned slowly.

Nolwazi chuckled.

"That I do," she said cheerfully.

Eva looked down again and slowly took another bite.

"How...how was it?"

Nolwazi smiled.

"I could show you if you want to."

Eva took in a deep, exciting breath and gulped again. Her lips trembled.

Nolwazi took her hands and stroked them slowly with her thumbs all the while looking deep into Eva's so vastly different eyes. She leaned forward and her eyes were now regarding Eva's lips. Then they found each other. Nolwazi sensed that Eva was somewhat hesitant. Nolwazi kissed her again on the lips and used both of hers to put Eva's lower lip into her mouth.

Instinctively, Eva recoiled.

"Sorry..." she muttered. Nolwazi smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay," she said stroking Eva's cheek. Eva bit her lower lips savoring the sensation.

"That felt good!" she whispered excited and Nolwazi felt arousal coming from her, just as she was aroused as well.

"There's more where that came from," she said with a cheeky smile. Eva giggled.

They looked at each other and at their now empty sundaes.

"What do you want to do next?" Nolwazi asked Eva.

Eva looked around and then smiled...

* * *

Kezban watched Austrad rushing into the map room heading straight for her.

"What is it?" Kezban asked confused.

"I just had a report coming from several different cities. You'd want to see this."

He held out a report and offered it to Kezban. Even more confused, she took it and read through it and when she hit a certain paragraph, her eyes widened.

"No..." she muttered.

Letting the report fall onto her desk, she quickly rose up and made to leave...

* * *

Eva's eyes were gleaming; she and Nolwazi had been wandering through the street looking for things to buy. Now they found themselves inside the bookstore where they first met.

"I have always loved books!" Eva said looking around the store. Nolwazi smiled and, holding their hands, they went to the sections deeper inside. Here you could find books about other countries and different wizarding communities. Eva slowly went up to one table and took one of the books holding it almost like a rare treasure in her hands. Nolwazi stepped behind her.

"I always wanted to travel," Eva told her, "but my parents never let me. Too dangerous, they said. I wasn't even allowed to see China, the place of their ancestors. I would always stay with Auntie Cho who would come over...safely locked at home fearing the moon becoming fuller..."

She took the book back and turned to Nolwazi.

"Would you travel with me?" she whispered while coming close to her.

"Wherever you like," Nolwazi whispered back. "That has always been my dream...seeing the world, getting to know what's out there, exploring new horizons..."

"The why did you settle down?" Eva asked frowning.

Nolwazi sighed.

"I don't know...It wasn't just my decision, it was also Mathilda's...my friend's. I guess I wanted to find a real job...perhaps I simply needed a break...sometimes the fantasy can be more exciting than the actual thing that you do...and it never turns out fully as you expect it to be."

She grabbed the book that Eva had been holding earlier.

They went back to the front of the store to pay when they noticed noises coming from outside.

"What's that?" Eva wondered.

Accepting the change, Nolwazi frowned trying to see something through the windows but whoever made those noises was further down the street...

* * *

Kezban apparated on Ragnuk Straße in Frankfurt am Main, the central wizarding street of the city. People were staring at the scene in front of them, some were arguing and complaining. Yet the children who had gathered on the street didn't care but went on chanting their demands: "Reunite! Reunite! Reunite", "Help them out! Help them out!" and "Muggles deserve our knowledge!"

Kezban moved closer to the crowd of what she now recognized where students. Students of the local wizarding school, _her_ old school...and thus also...

"Işık!" Kezban gasped spotting her little brother not only among the students but apparently leading them!

* * *

Eva and Nolwazi stood outside the bookstore staring incredulously at the flock of students shouting and demonstrating while marching along the street. Some of the adult witches and wizards, probably parents, tried to disperse them telling them to go back to school. But it had no effect on them.

"Come on, let's go!" Nolwazi told Eva holding her hand and leading them through the crowd of students which had already arrived at the store. Things seemed to heat up. Demonstrations such as these were extremely rare in wizarding culture, in fact, almost unheard of. Finally, Nolwazi and Eva reached the _Kaminhaus_ where the Floo Network was.

"I have to go, I'm sorry," Nolwazi explained.

"Do you think this has to do with that movement?" Eva asked interested.

Nolwazi looked at her.

"Not directly but they were certainly inspired by them." she explained.

"Can we meet again tomorrow?" Eva asked.

"Of course!" Nolwazi said having to shout now because the voices of the students were coming ever closer. Both looked into each other's eyes for a moment before separating. Both headed for a different fireplace.

"Federal Ministry of Magic!" Nolwazi shouted feeling the flames engulfing her.

* * *

In the foyer, Nolwazi found Kezban sitting alone as a café table. She slowly approached her former mentor who looked up as she spotted Nolwazi.

"I was just heading for Frothard's office," Nolwazi explained, "Are you all right?"

Kezban shrugged.

"I don't know..." She turned an empty cup in her hand again and again.

"I'd never thought that I would see my little brother...lead a group of radical students?"

Nolwazi sat down.

"Radical? They're merely demonstrating, what's so radical about that?"

Kezban looked at her.

"They said they wanted the end of the Statute of Secrecy, Nolwazi! They kept shouting 'reunite' and that sort of stuff."

She shook her head.

"Do you think that things are going to get worse? The banner, those protests and today we've had this AntiPure group killing several Pure-bloods..."

Nolwazi looked at her seriously.

"I don't know...things are certainly changing...and I think people are more aware of that. I wish I could find at least some clue as to what this Phoenix Movement is up to..."

As the two stared silently at the table, an owl landed on it carrying a small package. Nolwazi looked perplexed but apparently the package was meant for her. After she took it from the owl, the bird immediately made for the exit again.

"What is it?" Kezban asked frowning.

"It appears..."

She stuck her hand inside the package and pulled out the content.

"...it appears to be an...empty beverage can!"

Now totally confused, the two women gawked at the can when suddenly Nolwazi felt a harsh pull and the next moment she found herself in a dark alley with only the last rays of dusk shining on the street.

Taking out her wand, she quickly scanned her environment. But no one came. Then she spotted two people lying on the ground. Homeless people? Nolwazi slowly approached them and her jaw dropped when she recognized the uniforms...

And not just the uniforms, she recognized the faces of the two policemen! The same ones that had harassed her earlier today. Nolwazi crouched down and checked their pulses. They were dead! She turned the bodies on their backs checking for wounds but found none. Slowly, and with a very serious expression, she stood up. Wizards had murdered them. Not only that, they had specifically notified her of that. Were they watching her? And why did they do it? As Nolwazi looked down at the bodies she noticed something else: on the wall close to the bodies was some sort of graffiti.

" _Lumos!_ " Nolwazi murmured and the tip of her wand lightened up illuminating the painted symbol of a phoenix along with a message: _Only you can choose what to do!_

Nolwazi's lips trembled. What were these guys playing at? Was this meant to be seen as a favor? Nolwazi crouched down again and looked at the bodies, satisfaction swelling up inside her. With a determined look on her face, she raised her wand and erased the graffiti from the wall before flicking her wand causing the two dead policemen to turn into leaves that floated away with the wind. Without skipping a beat, Nolwazi walked down the alley before apparating away.


	5. Serve in Heaven

The church was almost empty. Only a handful of people were inside. Father Benedict Herbst was sitting inside the confessional when someone entered it. For awhile, there was silence, then:

"Forgive me, father, for you have sinned."

Father Benedict looked irritated through at the man who had entered the confessional. He was young, had short blond hair and looked at him with a stare than made Father Benedict shiver inside.

"I'm sorry?" he said.

The man smiled.

"Oh, surely you must be thinking 'shouldn't he say _forgive me for I have sinned?_ '...well, you see, father, the only sins in the world are those committed by the church itself: deceiving people into believing their lies, raping young women and later young boys, exploiting the people to spend money for excess and expensive edifices...and the butchering of witches and wizards!"

The man's voice was almost a hiss during his last words and Father Benedict had the strong urge to leave.

"You want to leave but you wonder why you can't..." the man whispered with a sly grin and moved up his right hand showing that he was holding some kind of stick, short, like the baton of a conductor in an orchestra.

"No, you won't hide away, you will face your sins, 'father'! You'd do it for the Greater Good...now won't you?"

Father Benedict trembled, the only thing he could still do. Then he hear a woman scream in horror and, moments before he saw the impossible, the sound of a loud bang...

* * *

Nolwazi opened her eyes. The sun shone brightly through the window. She blinked seeing her mother's breast out of the corner of her eye still covered in the clothes she wore yesterday. They had come back: the pain, the terribly hissing voice, that _face_...and those words! And then, just days after that, those other two, only a few days ago, asking where she came from because, since she was black she 'surely' had to come from somewhere else! Nolwazi closed her eyes again. She snuggled at her mother's breast again feeling the warmth that came through it. The rhythm of her breathing. Nolwazi felt herself relaxing. She could always come to her mom in times like these, when she needed comfort, security. The only difference was that now, it was her cheek, not her mouth that touched her.

Of course, she couldn't remember the first time, breastfeeding had always been there, for the first eight years of her life. So it flowed through her memories not unlike other thinks in her life such as riding the bike, eating or washing herself. And the first time that she clearly could remember, it had long turned much more to emotional nourishment than physical nourishment, although that too returned from time to time: to relieve herself from exhaustion, to help her to fall asleep...and to seek comfort from all those times she got hurt...hurt by words, harassment. Then she always sought consolation with her mother's milk. She never offered consolation to her daughter but never withheld it from her either. She let Nolwazi decide for herself when she needed it. Likewise, she didn't ask her daughter to tell her what was wrong but let Nolwazi to decide whether she wanted to – which in most cases she had done.

Then, a short time after she had turned eight years old, she found herself to no longer need the warmth of her mom's milk. Merely cuddling against her mom's chest sufficed from then on. Now, for the last few days, she almost wished it back.

Nolwazi felt her mother shift in her position as she too awoke.

"Hello there," she whispered smiling down at her daughter. Nolwazi smiled too and merely whispered: "Hi."

Mom kissed her on her forehead and continued to lie on the bed for a while until Nolwazi felt well enough to get up.

"Looks like dad hasn't got up yet," mom mused as she too rose from the bed and walked out of Nolwazi's room. The rays of Saturday morning still found their way into her room from the east. Soon, they would travel away from her window out of which you could gaze northwards. Nolwazi stretched her limbs and slowly moved her body to the door and into the bathroom. On weekends, she was always the first to shower, followed by her mom and finally her dad. During the week, she was the second one, between her mom and, again, finally her dad.

Michael James Robinson worked for a company called Drägerwerk, or Dräger for short, which makes breathing and protection equipment, gas detection and analysis systems, and noninvasive patient monitoring technologies. Nolwazi's father's job was to design, and oversee the development of, gas detection sensors. He often returned late from work, usually close to 6 p.m. and so Nolwazi could only use the weekend to spend more time with her father. Her mother, Astrid Robinson, was a kindergarten teacher usually returned from work in the afternoon.

* * *

When Nolwazi arrived at the breakfast table, the other three family members already sat around the table: her mother at the other end with her back towards the kitchen window, her dad opposite of her facing his wife, and Ellie, lying on her stomach on a chair between her dad's and the one Nolwazi would be sitting on. As she entered the kitchen, Ellie greeted her with a short "Meow," and a purr. She never dared to take anything from the table although she often moved her nose slightly onto the table whenever she smelled something delicious. The only times she had overstep her boundaries was whenever the family had eaten something with shrimps. Then she would jump onto one of the chairs while Nolwazi and dad took the shells of the shrimps and ever so slightly move her head onto the tables occasionally meowing. And whenever one of them got up and she thought that no one was watching, Ellie would slowly put one paw onto the table as if to say: "Now they're _mine_!"

Nolwazi sat down and selected one of the many choices of bread and put it onto the toaster.

"You two seemed to be sleeping well," dad observed as he was putting jam on his bread.

"So you did woke up before us?" Nolwazi gasped in mocking shock and exchanged glances with mom.

"I was shocked as well," mom commented. "What made you wake up so early?"

"Well, what do you think?" dad said glancing down at the fourth member at their table who looked up to him giving him an innocent "Meow".

"I had my door left open and at about five in the morning, that little predator came inside thinking that my belly was an excellent sleeping place. As soon as she had lied down, I was awake. Couldn't go back to sleep after that."

"So much for having a lie-in," Nolwazi mused looking at her father with a sad expression.

"Oh, doesn't matter," dad waved it off, "though I already know who's gonna go out for a stroll tonight,"

He looked at Ellie with a sly grin and Ellie didn't deemed it worthy to comment this time instead restoring to, almost mockingly, purr as if her little joke had succeeded.

"So..." mom said with a knowing smile at her daughter, "Any special plans for you today, honey?"

"Yeeeaah," Nolwazi replied stretching the word with a higher voice than usual, "I'm gonna meet Eva again today!"

Mom gasped in mocked surprise, her dad simply smiled and Elli sat up saying "Meow, meow!" enjoying that her owners talked this much and wanting to join in.

"We have decided to meet as often as possible, aaaand...her father finally agreed that she can come over!"

"Oh my god, that's great!" mom cried happily, "when does she want to come?"

"Tomorrow!" Nolwazi squealed jubilantly.

"Then I'm going head off to the bakery to buy some nice cake," dad said already reaching out for his shopping notes.

"Nonsense," replied mom, "for this special occasion, we'll bake one ourselves! And you can buy the ingredients."

"All right then," dad said, "ingredients it is! What do we need?"

They spent the remaining breakfast with deciding what kind of cake they would make for the occasion. After they had cleaned up, Nolwazi and her father apparated to the vicinity of a supermarket where they bought the necessary ingredients for the cake.

"See you later!" she said after having him brought back to the house.

* * *

Nolwazi found Eva in front of the café at Staffstraße sitting at one of the tables.

"Hey there!" Nolwazi smiled embracing her girlfriend in a tight hug.

They looked at each other for a long while.

"So..." Eva asked hesitantly, "Are your parents...okay with it?"

Nolwazi raised her eyebrows and put on a bright smile.

"Of course they're okay! Why wouldn't they be okay? Tomorrow it is!"

Eva beamed with delight and actually jumped up and down and Nolwazi joined in.

"Wait...you haven't told them, have you?" Eva asked a little worried.

Nolwazi shook her head.

"It's up to you if you want to tell them, baby. But they'll certainly be wondering about your eye."

Eva bit her lip and cocked her head thinking. Then she looked back at Nolwazi and her left brown eye seemed to glow with excitement.

"No matter what happens, I just want to enjoy it," she told confidently.

Nolwazi grinned.

"Oh, we will, baby! We will."

They resorted to stroll through the street holding hands, talking about this and that and dreamed up ways of going far away together, maybe travelling the world.

"There's still so much that I haven't seen," Nolwazi mused, "so many places still to explore, different wizarding cultures...I often thought about that in the last few days..."

"Do you think we'd ever be able to do that?" Eva asked resting her head on Nolwazi's shoulder. "I mean...we need to be sure that we'll always have the ingredients ready, you know?"

Nolwazi sighed and looked at Eva stroking her hair.

"That won't be a problem, baby. I'm sure we can find a way to always have enough of that at our disposal."

Eva smiled and closed her eyes.

"I can already see us running over the hills, climbing mountains, walking through forests, jungles!"

Her smile turned into a frown.

"I don't think my parents would let me though. They never have. I mean, these are the first times that I'm even allowed to go out alone, and that's only the wizarding world!"

Nolwazi tilted her head.

"Well, considering that they've let you come to my house, I'd they they're loosening up a bit."

"That's only because they trust you and it's near. Auntie Cho practically adores you, you know?"

"Oh yeah?" Nolwazi said with a sly grin. "Perhaps I should meet her more often then," she continued mockingly. Eva boxed her in the rips with her elbow jokingly. Nolwazi grinned again but her smile faded as she felt something vibrating in her pocket.

"Oh, shit, not now!" she cursed under her breath. Taking out her Two-Way Mirror, she found the minister's face staring back at her.

"Miss Robinson, sorry to disturb your weekend, but a Muggle church has just been attacked. Could have something to do with the Phoenix Movement."

"They've made clear their opinion of religion. But I don't believe that they'd resort to violence, their past actions have not shown this."

While she said that, the image of the two dead policemen appeared before her eyes and she involuntarily had to grin.

"Nevertheless, we can't rule anything out. I've sent Miss Çalışkan to accompany you. She'll be waiting for you in the foyer."

Frothard's face disappeared.

Nolwazi looked at Eva disappointingly.

"Sorry about that," she said.

"Is it about this movement?" Eva asked highly interested.

Nolwazi nodded.

"Then go there! Find out what they want. We still have tomorrow," she added with a grin.

Nolwazi smiled and kissed her forehead. Eva took in a deep breath as she did so.

"I'll be back," she said.

* * *

The church was still standing though the tower seemed to have collapsed as had part of the roof. The white walls were now black in several places and debris could be found all around the building, some had damaged the surrounding ones. Fire trucks were still parked around the church, two ambulances had also been called and the police had sealed off the surrounding area.

"Hey, excuse me! This area is off-limits," barked a policeman once he spotted the two witches. Nolwazi made a point of evading the man while Kezban tried to speak to him.

"Oi! You there, young lady, you're not allowed–"

"Stay away from me!" Nolwazi called out to him without looking and strolled on.

The policeman turned away from Kezban and came closer to Nolwazi.

"Didn't you hear me? I said–"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Nolwazi screamed while briefly, as briefly as possible, granted him a view of her face and pointing her finger at him. He became silent in an instant. Scared, and angrily, Nolwazi marched on straight into the church.

The interior was a mess of shredded benches and fallen bricks. Several paramedics were tending to survivors. A few bodies were lying on the floor covered with sheets. Nolwazi spotted one of the survivors, a priest who had just been checked and given a bandage to his left arm. Nolwazi approached him.

"Nolwazi Robinson, MAD," she flashed a batch that had a special Confundus Charm placed on it to give Muggles the illusion that Ministry workers were telling the truth.

"Can I have a word with you, father?"

The priest nodded.

"Father Benedict Herbst," he introduced himself.

Nolwazi sat down beside him.

"What do you remember about this attack, father?"

The priest looked down and gulped. Shaking his head, he replied: "I-I was in the confessional. A man came in and threatened me...I sensed that something was wrong, that he was serious, dangerous. So I wanted to flee. But he, somehow, he p-paralyzed me...!"

He rubbed his arms as though he was freezing and Nolwazi could sense the horror of recent memories.

"He was...using some kind of device...strange thing, as though made of wood, just a stick! And then I heard a bang a-and...he was gone! Just gone! As if he had vanished in thin air!"

He priest stared ahead with his jaw dropped as though he still couldn't believe it.

"And then there was this bang and...next I knew, I was freed from the rubble by those gentlemen there."

He pointed to the paramedics. Then he looked at Nolwazi.

"It was the people with the banner, right? Did they do that?"

"We don't know yet," Nolwazi replied, "We're investigating them but they keep themselves hidden very well. There unlike anything we've come across. Was there a Phoenix symbol found somewhere? or did he show anything?"

The priest shook his head.

"He did not. He said that the church had committed the greatest sins and that...that his deed would benefit them all."

At this, Nolwazi's eyes widened.

"What exactly did he say, father, I need to know the exact words."

Father Herbst stared ahead for a moment thinking.

Then:

"The Greater Good. That's what he was saying. That I would sacrifice myself for the Greater Good!"

Nolwazi abruptly got up and stared around the church.

"Where was the confessional, father?"

The priest pointed to a specific point in the church.

"It used to be there."

Nolwazi ran towards that spot which was increasingly difficult due to the debris that had fallen down here. It was a miracle that the priest had survived...or maybe it wasn't a miracle at all. Maybe he was meant to survive. With the help of subtle wandless magic, she put aside several bricks until she uncovered what had once been the church's confessional. And there – shining faintly in the sunlight was what she had expected to find.

" _Accio!_ " she whispered.

And into her hand flew a silver chain like one which you wore as jewelry. And at the end of it was the pendant: a straight vertical line surrounded by a circle and finally a triangle enclosing them both. Nolwazi regarded the pendant with disgust and quickly pocketed it.

* * *

Mathilda didn't know how much longer she could cope with this. All of them knew that this task was a complete waste of time so long as they didn't involve Muggle IT experts. And Mathilda, Adam and Orzala sure weren't. They might be experts in the eyes of fellow wizards but certainly no more expert than the average Muggle. Was this all worth it? Mathilda had played with the thought of just ending it all, refuse to continue, even thought of leaving the department if she wouldn't be given another task. In the end, the three of them were all just pretending!

Mathilda glanced at Mr. Schiffner. Her boss was a few meters away observing the work of another group of colleagues who likely had a much more promising task before them. She knew enough of him to know that he wouldn't assign a task he didn't think could bring results.

"What are we still doing here?" she whispered stopping what she was doing. She could practically feel the gaze of this bloody ICW representative who was still pacing around the chamber with this sinister look in his eyes...or perhaps she only perceived it as sinister.

"Playing a game," observed Orzala. "Do you think we should screw it?"

Mathilda sighed and looked down at the desk filled with parchments of silly proposals to keep Chiwitammata at bay. Her hand started to tremble. Her breathing became quicker. Mathilda's eyes widened as she recoiled from the desk! With an open mouth she stared ahead: it was there, so clearly before her eyes and yet obscured by nothingness as if it was there and yet not really. The explosion sent out a massive pressure and two people were thrown away by it. Two people...fighting for the wand...

With a sharp breath, Mathilda came to as if emerging from the water. She lay on the floor and Orzala was holding her resting Mathilda's head on her shoulder.

"Are you all right? Tilda?" she asked worried.

Mathilda gasped for air and her rapid breathing slowed down. She looked around. Not only Orzala and Adam were there but also Schiffner.

"Are you okay, Miss Leitfried? Did you have another vision?" he asked.

Orzala and Adam helped Mathilda to stand on her own legs again. Grabbing their shoulders with her hands, Mathilda turned to Schiffner.

"I saw...two people...fighting, duelling...they seemed to fight over a wand. A single wand hovering in the air, vibrating. And then...the core exploded! Its shockwave threw the opponents away from each other...and there was debris...but I don't know where, it was too obscure..."

Schiffner looked away from her and then back again.

"I'm relieving you of this task, Miss Leitfried, and your team as well. This is ridiculous! We are clearly getting nowhere. Take a break, you three, then chose a task to our liking, in any chamber you wish. You deserved that."

He smiled at Mathilda.

"Wait a minute," a voice came from behind Mathilda and Mr. Chiwitammata stepped into her field of vision.

"You can't relieve her! We need to keep that group away from–"

"We'll find another method!" Schiffner replied sharply.

The Thai wizard's lips trembled with anger.

"I could fire you for this!" he said pointing a finger at the Head of the Department of Experimental magic.

"No, you couldn't," Schiffner replied, almost casually, "Like its equivalent in other countries, you have no authority in this department, not even the Federal Minister has. All he can do is make proposals or requests, but he cannot order me to do something! It is entirely my decision what I want to pursue and who I grand access to this place. I only started this experiment because I thought that it could lead somewhere and that it was worth at least a try. But now I see that it isn't. I shall inform you once we've found something promising, for now, I'm afraid I'll have to escort you out of here."

Chiwitammata's hand went into his robes but Schiffner was quicker. With one swift movement he had disarmed the ICW representative and caught his wand.

"You're lucky that I was quick, Mr. Chiwitammata. You really wouldn't want to feel the defense of this chamber's statues."

He briefly looked at the statues depicting several well known, German wizarding Curse-breakers who were just taking their previous positions again.

"Plus we have other measures you couldn't even imagine," he whispered in an eerie tone before smiling politely.

"After you, Mr. Chiwitammata."

Mathilda watched her boss escorting Chiwitammata out of the chamber.

"Wow," commented Adam, "that was impressive!"

Mathilda, now able to stand on her own again, led her two team members out of the chamber heading for the café in the foyer.

* * *

Frothard looked at Nolwazi as though she had just told him that an Obscurus had been set loose.

"And you found this inside the church?" he asked pointing at the Deathly Hallows pendant that now lay on his desk.

"My assumption would be that it was left behind intentionally. They wanted us to know who did this," Nolwazi mused.

Ortiz approached the desk to take a closer look at the pendant.

"We should alert the regional ministries," she proposed to Frothard. "And also the ICW headquarters. This threat is real, more real at the moment than the Phoenix Movement."

"Nevertheless," Nolwazi said, "we shouldn't let ourselves distracted by this. Whatever the Phoenix Movement is doing, the fact that we're not affected by it doesn't mean that they've ceased their activities."

"I concur," Frothard said. He took the pendant and locked it inside his filing cabinet.

"I will instruct Madam Atubo directly. With a group that uses Grindelwald's ideas, one is bound to be careful to trust Pure-bloods with it. Continue your investigation, Miss Robinson. I know that they are very hard to trace which makes them perhaps the most dangerous radical group we have ever encountered. They may be preparing for their great moment as we speak."

Nolwazi nodded and left the office. It was quite interesting that a member of the Ancient Thirty-Five was speaking in this manner about his fellow Pure-bloods. But Frothard was different, Nolwazi could tell that. Perhaps she was also biased because of her prejudice against these families. She had heard rumors of some of them such as the Brandt family whose youngest family members were said to have fled to Britain. Hopefully this situation could quickly be dealt with.

* * *

She hadn't been to Toevererhoff for quite some time. The magical street of the city of Lübeck looked like one of the many passageways called _Gänge_ that were situated throughout the city. In medieval times, these passageways led to a series of yards that had historically been filled with shacks and barracks made for the workers and daily laborers who worked in the various businesses within the city. From the 16th century onwards, the barracks were replaced with small stone houses. The wizarding Toevererhoff street resembled those yards but had been magically enlarged from the inside so that the street was wide enough to fit a great number of people. Through a gateway you could reach the wizarding harbor which was situated in a separate part of the city, in the Bay of Lübeck, about half an hour away from downtown Lübeck by car.

Here, wizarding ships sailed to all parts of the world trading in various exotic goods. Potioneers bought ingredients from far-away countries, inn owners purchased their fish, meat and fruits here, tailors got their much needed fabrics. The ships had been traditionally crewed by the Klabautermänner, a kind of seafaring goblin.

The harbor master had his office in a small hut by the docks. He was a big older man with a grey beard who smoked pipe. He had this particular accent that was often associated with north German sea captains and switched continuously from High German to Low German.

"Nah, there's no way tracing them, they could be anywhere by now," he told Nolwazi. "And no port has spotted them since the mutiny. I mean, it's not like we were prepared for that, there's never been a mutiny here, they love sailing, you know? Not sure why they suddenly decided to steal one of our ships."

"Well, perhaps because, in their eyes, it's not your ship," Nolwazi mused. "They're constructing those ships after all, aren't they? You've only borrowed it."

The harbor master waved this thought off.

"Ah, them and their sense of possession. They've never complained before."

Nolwazi looked around the docks glancing at various Klabautermänner walking about.

"Well, thank you," she said leaving the harbor master tend to his documents.

Sighing, she once again looked around. She then approached a few of the Klabautermänner but they were less than cooperative. Their answers were short and grumpy and nobody knew, or wanted to know, anything about the crew of the _Gornok_ , the ship that had gone missing.

What they did say between the lines were that they weren't exactly happy with how wizards treated them which didn't surprised Nolwazi the slightest. She had met enough goblins on her journey to know how little respect wizards had for them. The various goblin rebellions hadn't happened without reason after all.

* * *

The Rodtant Mansion lay in the Rhön Mountains in Hesse, near the town of Tann. Surrounded by dense forest, it had a large garden with a maze as well as a veranda on which something had been erected that looked like a recreation area with cushions and sheets, probably for some kind of Vampire celebration involving sex and the Bite. Stories about the infamous parties at this mansion were practically legendary, especially when volunteers were coming to receive the Bite which had turned into a ritual viewed by thousands of Vampires as well as the occasional human who was into this. In general, Vampires had always preferred to remain amongst themselves, particularly since hunting humans had been declared illegal and a donation system had been established to compensate for that.

Most Vampire Houses found new members by either giving birth to Vampires or finding volunteers who had fantasized to become Vampires. Such volunteers often received highly polite yet alluring written invitations which involved conversation, games such as cards or playing musical instruments together (in general, activities which both the guest and the host loved) and then, finally, foreplay – which was considered an art in itself by Vampires – and the highlight of the evening: extensive sexual play, often with intercourse, and finally the Bite.

Having obviously never received it, Nolwazi had read many books and published letters written in the last centuries about how the Bite felt and how it was performed. To those who wanted it, it was described as being highly arousing and erotic, even comforting, once described as being held in one's mother's arms again. The transformation was felt as being fluid and not painful, apart from the fangs and claws that grew as well as the ears that became pointy.

The interior of the mansion was dark. The enchanted windows which didn't leave actual daylight inside didn't show their magical scenery anymore.

" _Lumos!_ "

The light at the tip of her wand showed Nolwazi the stunning design of the place. Whoever had founded this House, she surely had money. Vampire Houses were as diverse as Human ones and the Mothers preferred all sorts of styles.

The ball room was grand and glamorous. The bar was empty of course but the library still seemed to contain most of its treasures. Books containing poetry, love letters, highly suspenseful novels with Vampires as the protagonist, pornographic novels and short stories and even illustrated ones whose pictures were all moving. Nolwazi had to close some of them quickly to not loose herself in them as they were highly arousing. She wondered if some had some kind of enchantment to lure the reader in as it was more difficult with certain books even if she wanted to close them.

She was close to the master bedroom when she heard a noise inside. Carefully stepping inside, she found a person searching the desk, probably for information. Nolwazi politely cleared her throat and the person looked up. Her face was as pale as wax as if all blood had been drained from her. She looked young as though she had just turned twenty. And she looked gorgeous! Her eyes, her nose, her lips and her _body_! Her choice of dress was very inviting which was usual for Vampires. She regarded Nolwazi with a kind of formal curiosity sizing her up and down.

Nolwazi held up her left hand and a small glass appeared on her palm. She helt her right hand over the glass and moved her thumb over her index finger: several drops of blood dropped into the glass. Healing her wound, Nolwazi then used her wand to magically make the content larger. She let the glass float towards the young Vampire girl. She took it with gleaming eyes and a soft moan taking her time to savor it.

She groaned.

"Mmmm, oh, you taste gorgeous, my dear," she said smiling.

"With whom do I have the honor?" Nolwazi asked.

"My name is Ada, Ada Trorkunn. And who is the delicious lady standing before me now?" she asked in return, her voice floating towards Nolwazi in a way that made her blush.

"Nolwazi Robinson. The House of Trorkunn, then?"

Ada nodded and stepped closer. Nolwazi likewise approached her slowly.

"The youngest, actually," Ada said, "I'm only 107."

"That is very young indeed."

"Thank you. I'm one of the few in my family to actually been born a Vampire. None of my living siblings came into the world like that."

She smiled at Nolwazi. They were only a few feet away from each other now.

"I can see that you are very...experienced," Ada oberseved sniffing the air. She briefly closed her eyes. "Yes, I can sense it. Your confidence...you have seen so many things. And now you've come here for the same reason as I have."

"The disappearance of the House of Rodtant," Nolwazi concluded.

Ada nodded. She gently took Nolwazi's hand and led her to the desk.

"All of their personal things are gone, except for the books in the library. Which might indicate that they wish to return here one day."

"Well, they haven't exactly made this mansion secure against raiders or other unwanted people," Nolwazi pointed out.

"Vampires have no need for that, humans normally don't venture near our establishments," Ada replied with a smile, her face only inches away from Nolwazi's.

"But this here is interesting," the young Vampire continued, "Look at the desk!"

Nolwazi took a closer look at the desktop. Right there, at the center of it, apparently painted in blood, was  the shape of a phoenix next to the words _Reclaim our Voice_ and under that, a signature.

"The handwriting of Henriette Rodtant, Mother of the house," Ada whispered in Nolwazi's ear before giving it a short lick. Nolwazi turned to her looking into her eyes and then on her lips.

"Do you know anything about the Phoenix Movement?" she asked.

Ada smiled.

"They have come to us...to many houses they've come...they offered us a better world. A world in which we could hunt again, seek out our blood without restrictions...fulfill our passionate needs as we see fit, not needing their consent."

She took Nolwazi's hands and positioned the two of them so that they were in a dance position.

"But our Mother refused," she whispered now kissing Nolwazi's ear before moving to the mouth. She giggled.

"We already have chosen our way to live and we don't intend to end it in the next hundred years."

They slowly danced around the bed until they were on the other side of it with Nolwazi's back facing it.

"I know what he looks like," she whispered as they kissed again and Ada touched Nolwazi by the waist and used her superior strength to lift her up to carry her on her hip like a mother would to a small child.

"They never told us their names but I would recognize him anywhere! He's so handsome and smells so tasty...just as you do."

She slowly dropped Nolwazi onto the bed then climbed on top of her kissing her belly before moving up to her breasts and finally her neck.

"I could help you find him," Ada purred, "after we had a special night, just you and me!"

Nolwazi smiled but held a hand to her neck.

"I'm afraid, I'm not ready for the Bite," she told the young Vampire.

"I know, honey," Ada sad rolling her eyes a little reproachfully. "I would have asked you first."

She mockingly pretended to bite Nolwazi's hand along with a playful "Arrgh!"

"We can have something special without the Bite, my dear, don't you worry." She playfully touched the tip of Nolwazi's nose. "You humans are so tight."

Nolwazi raised her eyebrows.

"If you can sense my experience you should know better that I'm not as tight as most people."

"But you're not against _this_ , aren't you?"

Nolwazi smiled again.

"Only if you promise to help me with finding this group," Nolwazi told her.

Ada stroked the part around Nolwazi's belly pondering over the offered deal.

"All right," she said moving closer to Nolwazi's face and whispering into her ear.

"I always know when someone wants me!"

Nolwazi grinned and rolled around so that she was now on top. Holding the young Vampire by her hair, she hissed.

"I do want you. But that doesn't mean that I love you."

Ada let out a delighted laugh:

"Now that's what I want my little girl to be!"

Nolwazi kissed her on the lips before moving to her neck...

* * *

When Nolwazi apparated in front of her home, she was still exhausted but also on fire. Her mother was already in the kitchen placing the necessary equipment for the cake on the kitchen table.

"Hi there, honey," she greeted her daughter, "you seem happy. Did you finally had progress?"

Nolwazi nodded.

"Sort of, yeah. Not exactly what we've wanted but I hope it will bring us forward."

"Well, that's good to hear," mom said smiling. "Dad is coming momentarily, he's just in the garden hanging up the laundry.

Baking the cake with both of her parents was much fun. Although mom as well as dad often complained to one another when all three of them were working in the kitchen that there simply was no space for such an endeavor, today, it worked seamlessly. They had just finished when Mathilda came to watch the news with them. The attack on the church was one of the highlights with Muggle authorities unsure of who it was since no one had claimed responsibility. It would be one of those reports that slowly but surely would sink into the abyss of journalistic unworthiness once the trail remained cold.

After the news, Nolwazi and Mathilda spend time in their tent.

"I noticed you baked a cake earlier," Mathilda noted, "Who's the special someone?"

Nolwazi grinned.

"Eva is coming tomorrow!" she shrieked joyfully and Mathilda's ever so stoic face turned into one of surprise and happiness.

"Really???"

"Yes! Her parents allowed it, oh, it's so awesome! I can't wait until tomorrow!"

"So, did you and her already...you know...?"

Nolwazi shook her head.

"No, not yet. She is afraid of that. She fears that she might infect me."

Nolwazi looked ahead for a moment, her mood somewhere between disappointment and anticipation.

"But who knows?" she said cheerfully, "perhaps I can encourage her to try it. I've felt that, deep in her heart, she wants to experiment, she wants to feel it..."

Mathilda regarded her friend thoughtfully.

"Doesn't it drive you mad sometimes to hear the thoughts and ideas of those around you?" she asked, "to look inside their soul, their mind? See who they are?"

Now Nolwazi looked at her in the same manner.

"Why do you ask? Did something happen?"

Mathilda sighed and finally nodded.

"I saw it, Nolwazi...so clearly...and I think sometimes that I wish I hadn't had the ability, you know?"

A tear run down her right cheek. Nolwazi reached out and caught it on her thumb. She put her thumb inside her mouth and licked it clean.

"You don't need to worry, it might not even happen, you said so yourself once. Prophecies and visions are not reliable."

"With me they are though..." Mathilda said. "Nearly everything that I saw eventually came true. And, and this..."

She shook her head but clearly did want to talk about it. She just didn't know how.

"What did you see?" Nolwazi asked.

Instead of telling her, Mathilda stood up and stepped towards her desk where the Pensieve lay. Using her wand, she pulled out a memory from herself and dropped it into the weird something of the Pensieve that was neither liquid nor gas. She then looked around.

"Where's your Pensieve?"

"It's upstairs," Nolwazi replied pointing towards the ceiling.

Mathilda grabbed Nolwazi's wrist and lowered her face closer to the Pensieve...

With a jolt, both women were pulled into it and moments later landed in something that looked like a misty nothingness.

"Wait," Mathilda said.

For a moment there was nothing...then screams could be heard followed by bangs as if someone was dueling someone. Vaguely, a background formed, strangely familiar yet too obscure to place it. But Nolwazi could swear that she had seen it somewhere...

Then something formed out of the darkness: a wand hovering in mid-air, slightly vibrating as if two forces were summoning it simultaneously. Nolwazi tried to look towards the two ends where in real life the people fighting for the wand should be seen. But other than what looked like the shadow of a hand, she couldn't see anything, probably because Mathilda hadn't been able to see it clearly either. It was as if the vision wanted to hide the key element.

Now the wand vibrated more strongly and then – without warning – the wand burst into pieces as an explosion from within shook the place and the resulting shockwave expanded rapidly...

...but before they could see the consequences, both were back again before Mathilda's desk. Nolwazi was panting as if she had been running a marathon. Incredulously she stared at her friend, shocked by what she had seen.

"D-did you see that?" she stammered.

"More clearly now..."

"...that was...that was..."

"I know."

"...but it doesn't have to be true...it...can't be!"

Nolwazi and Mathilda looked at each other both needing no words for what they thought.

"On a brighter sight," Mathilda said to ease the situation, "my boss has relieved me and my team of this stupid task."

Nolwazi's lips formed a grin.

"That's wonderful! So, what do you plan to do now?"

Mathilda shook her head.

"Haven't got a clue. Whatever we find interesting."

The two sat there for a while afterwards in silence before heading for the exit of the tent.

* * *

It was a warm sunny day when Nolwazi apparated in front of her home holding Eva's hand.

Eva gasped in awe at the surroundings they found themselves in.

"This looks beautiful!" she whispered.

"Wait until you see the garden," Nolwazi commented.

In the hallway, Ellie waited for them to see what Nolwazi had been doing. Upon seeing her with Eva, she came towards them while practically meowing them a story.

"Yes, Ellie, I'm back," Nolwazi told her patiently cupping the cat's face in her hands, "And this is my girlfriend, Eva."

Eva bent down and stretched out her right hand to greet Ellie who slowly approached her and snuffled her hand. Apparently finding no flaw in Eva, she allowed her to stoke her purring as Eva did so.

"She likes you," Nolwazi commented with a grin.

She led Eva through the living room and out into the garden: right in front of the house was the veranda with a floor of red stone tiles. To the left was a high white wall separating the veranda of the Robinsons with that of the Leitfrieds. On the other side of the veranda there had once been a pergola on which Ellie had loved to climb but Nolwazi's parents had torn it down once the wood became rotten. In its place were several bushy plants half obscuring the view to the shed where the family kept their garden equipment like garden scissors and the lawnmower but also their bikes. If you moved a little to the right, you could see a high round table standing on one metallic leg which dad and his neighboring friends used when they played darts.

A little to the right was an apple tree and between the tree and the shed there was a small well which they hadn't used in years. A small path made up of grey tiles ran through the grass covering the garden ground which led from the shed to the veranda but also to the back door at the end of the garden but also along the outer wall of the house for the Robinsons lived at one end of the terraced house and could actually reach the garden from the outside. Various bushes and plants filled the garden particularly along the fence since that only reached up to the waist and, as her parents told Nolwazi, attracted many people to marvel the then newly finished house when her parents had first moved in there. So they had planted these bushes to obscure the view and prevent people from watching them eat in the living room.

The veranda itself was filled with two tables, a small round one which mom often used to drink her evening tea as the sun would set and a larger table which was used to eat meals and have a coffee and cake round when the weather allowed for it.

Mom and dad had already set the table when Nolwazi, Eva and lastly Ellie arrived. Ellie went straight for her water bowl in one corner of the garden.

"Hi, you two," mom greeted them happily, and to Eva she said: "I'm Astrid, Nolwazi's mom."

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Robinson," Eva said politely shaking her hand.

"This is my husband, Michael."

"Nice to meet you, Eva," dad said, "Please, sit down."

As they did so, Ellie immediately settled herself on Nolwazi's lap purring and regarding Eva with interest.

"Do you like coffee?" mom asked. Eva nodded. Nolwazi poured some into Eva's cup before filling herself one and handing the coffeepot to her parents.

"So, Nolwazi tells me that you two met in a bookstore," mom said while passing pieces of chocolate cake to everyone. Eva looked at Nolwazi and the two broke out in radiating smiles.

"Yeah, we did," Eva replied. "I've always been in love with books. They were the window to a world that I knew I could never reach, you know? I wish that, one day, I could just travel far away to one of those beautiful places..."

Eva was briefly distracted by Nolwazi accepting her piece of cake and Ellie attempting to take a peek onto the table but Nolwazi gently moved her head back.

"No, girl, that's not for you...sorry."

"Meow!" Ellie declared slightly offended.

"She surely knows what she wants," Eva observed.

"Oh, as far as she's concerned, the whole house is hers and we are too," Nolwazi explained grinning.

Everyone laughed at this thought causing Ellie to meow anew.

"Why didn't you travel before?" dad asked. Eva looked at him and bit her lips.

"Because...because of my, er, condition. You see, I suffer from lycanthropy."

Mom and dad exchanged clueless glances with each other and looked back at Eva who subtly rolled her oh so different eyes.

"I'm a werewolf," she stated.

Someone else would have expected Nolwazi's parents to recoil in horror or to at least look worried but they instead looked sad end empathic.

"I'm sorry, dear," mom sad.

"T-thanks," Eva said in a slightly broken voice before composing herself.

"It's not that serious as it used to be, they've actually invented a potion about 20 years ago that keep me...well, my mind human. I still transform every full moon though."

"And there is nothing that exists to prevent that?" dad asked. Eva shook her head.

"That's why I wasn't allowed to travel. That, and because I'm a Muggle."

She looked onto her plate for a while before forming a determined expression.

"But I will one day," she said looking at Nolwazi and taking her hand.

"We will together."

Nolwazi smiled at that statement and leaned in closer to give her a kiss. Ellie meowed angrily at Nolwazi's shift in position and jumped off her lap.

* * *

"I wouldn't have thought that your parents took my affliction so easily," Eva told Nolwazi as they made their way upstairs to Nolwazi's room.

"They're not known for judging people," Nolwazi explained, "They're perhaps the most tolerant people I know."

She smiled and opened the door to her room. Eva put her hands to her mouth in awe.

"Wow! That's your room? It looks fantastic!"

"You haven't seen the best yet!" Nolwazi declared proudly and pointed to her tent standing in the center of the magically enlarged room. Eva looked at Nolwazi in amazement. Nolwazi grinned cheekily and opened the entrance to the tent.

Eva continued to marvel at what she saw which now was the living room of the tent's interior.

"Did you create this?" she asked her girlfriend.

"Every inch," Nolwazi said looking around as if she had entered for the first time. "In here is everything I need for a journey. I just need to fold the tent together and–"

She snapped her fingers.

"–I'm ready to travel. Could pick you up at your home or anywhere you'd chose to meet."

Eva let out an exciting laugh.

"Can we go together?" she asked.

Nolwazi regarded her smiling but there was something deeper within that smile.

"You wish you could run away..." she deduced, "both from your confinement and your condition."

Her look was so empathic, so...knowing! Eva saw it in her eyes. As if she could see right down into the deepest hidden place of her soul. It was frightening but at the same time strangely comforting.

Eva looked away and began to take a closer look at the items inside the room. She noted the row of moving photos on the shelf above the fireplace: some were in black and white, others in color. All showed Nolwazi, most of the time with a girl with light brown hair who had a somewhat stoic look about her. Others showed Nolwazi alone with other girls her age or women who were clearly older than her, most probably about 10 years older. Sometimes it was only one person beside her, occasionally two or three. They all looked happily into the camera. The first picture which Eva inspected closely showed Nolwazi in a jungle-like environment with two other young women who appeared to be only slightly older than her: one was a black women with an afro and great curves, the other appeared to be Asian and was tall and slim although she too had a great body.

"That one was taken in Brazil," Nolwazi commented, "At Castelobruxo School in the Amazon. The girls you see here are Ana de Sá and Juliana Yamasaki. I lived with them for a while, they were so nice and lovely."

"Your experience..." Eva mumbled.

"One of my experiences." Nolwazi corrected her stepping closer to her.

"They liked to experiment, those two," she explained, "They lived in an open, polyamorous relationship, they each had several lovers, I happened to be only one of them...now Juliana was only into girls but Ana..."

She laughed remembering her.

"Ana loved boys and girls, she actually described herself as pansexual."

Nolwazi embraced Eva from behind.

"I want you to know that I will always be open with you, honey. I will keep no secrets to you, not what I like either. If your uncomfortable with it, that's fine."

Eva looked ahead into the image that was mirroring in the glass of the framed picture.

"I don't mind," she said after a while, "as long as you're being honest."

Nolwazi kissed her on the neck.

"Always!"

She put both of her hands in Eva's and gently pulled her to the stairs leading to the upper floor.

"This is my room," she said opening the door, "But it can always become ours. Do you like it?"

Eva slowly moved inside glancing at the bedside table and the small shelf on which Nolwazi's Pensieve could be found. She gently touched the giant bed in the room which was so large that three people easily could fit in there. She slowly crawled onto it and lay down closing her eyes.

"It's so soft...and comfortable!" she observed.

Nolwazi unbuttoned several buttons on her shirt while joining her girlfriend on the bed. She snuggled up to Eva and they both just lay there cuddling for a while with Eva pressing her face into Nolwazi's breasts. Nolwazi gently stroked her head.

"Do you know what I wish the most?" Eva sighed in a whisper.

"What is it, baby?" Nolwazi asked.

"Being little again...normal again...without all this...transforming."

Eva gulped and looked up towards Nolwazi who smiled. Eva continued to rest her cheek on Nolwazi's breast again. _So that's what it must feel like_ , Nolwazi thought. She slowly unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and pulled it over her head. She slipped down one side of her bra exposing her breast to Eva who latched on as soon as she saw it. Nolwazi continued to stroke her head as Eva "nursed" looking down at her.

"Do you like that?" she whispered and Eva nodded rapidly.

"We can always make it more real, you know?" Nolwazi suggested, "I have the right potion to do so."

Eva looked up.

"To make me little?" she asked frowning.

"No, baby, I mean those," Nolwazi chuckled pointing to her breasts. Eva now understood.

"Um, I think I'm okay with it like this," she mumbled latching on again. She continued for a short while and Nolwazi slowly shifted her hand from Eva's head to her shoulder, then her back, massaging her all the way down to her legs.

"Does it feel good, baby?" she asked with a shift in tone, from nurturing to teasing.

Eva moaned and slightly shifted her weight moving her legs closer. Her hand moved from Nolwazi's other breast to her belly and then slowly found the space between her legs and went into her trousers. Now it was Nolwazi who moaned. Eva unlatched from her breast and proceeded to kiss Nolwazi's belly.

"I think we should get more comfortable, don't you think?" Nolwazi asked. She quickly stripped off her bra and continued with her pants and panties before slowly and teasingly undressed Eva as well. Her body was not so curvy as Nolwazi's but magnificent nonetheless. Nolwazi kissed her on her lips and this time Eva didn't recoil but moaned and sighed leaning into it as if she wanted to eat Nolwazi's mouth. Nolwazi pressed their bodies together and they touched each other all over. Nolwazi grabbed Eva and rolled her on her back so that she was on top of her. Eva giggled and closed her eyes as Nolwazi began to kiss her way down until she reached her vagina!

"Ooohhh!" Eva moaned, louder than before. "Oh yeah, ohhh, ough!"

Nolwazi grinned as she stretched out her tongue and began to lick her girlfriend's vagina before proceeding to suck it. She moaned as well founding Eva to taste very nicely, especially when she came only moments later.

"Ah! Ah! Aaaahaaah! Yes! Oh!"

Eva sank into the pillows again as Nolwazi worked her way up again stopping over her nipples giving each of them a long, hard suck while putting a few fingers inside her own vagina. She reached Eva's lips again and the two kissed. Nolwazi showed Eva her now wet fingers holding them teasingly above her lips.

"Wanna taste me, baby?" she whispered grinning.

Eva grabbed Nolwazi's hips and went for her fingers sucking them passionately. As Nolwazi kissed the side of Eva's neck again, she suddenly winced as she felt a short amount of pain in her right waist.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," came Eva's horrified voice. Nolwazi quickly pressed her mouth on Eva's and kissed her before putting one finger to her lips.

"Sshhh, baby! Don't mind that scar. It's a nice memory. It's still bright outside. And who knows? I might wanna have more..."

She grinned cheekily. Eva let out a short, nervous laugh but continued to kiss Nolwazi and now took charge herself by rolling her girlfriend over and repeated the process that Nolwazi had just granted her. Nolwazi gasped when Eva reached her vagina and worked on it like there was no tomorrow. Soon Nolwazi climaxed as well along with the longest moans that Eva had ever heard...well, she hadn't heard many yet.

Both cuddled again afterwards until Nolwazi said that they should both be taking a bath.

* * *

Eva stayed for dinner with the Robinsons. Nolwazi noted that Eva seemed more relaxed than before as if she had been re-charged with energy. After dinner, she remained to watch the news with Nolwazi and her family as well as Mathilda who came over as usual and was delighted to meet Eva although her expression didn't seem to show it but her voice managed to get the message across.

* * *

After Nolwazi had taken her back to Staffstraße and watched her leave via Floo Network, she apparated back home. She went up to her tent and took her Pensieve from her room back to the tent's living room and onto her desk. She swirled the Pensieve like a gold prospector would swirl for fragments of gold and a memory dissolved from the mist. Four faces appeared: that of a young man with brown hair and a beard and blue eyes, a woman with the exact same hair color who looked just a few years older and a third man, young and blond with black glasses. The fourth belonged to a goblin, specifically a Klabautermann. Staring thoughtfully into Ada's memories, Nolwazi's face formed a smile...


	6. The Criminals it Deserves

The students were still protesting, as always, once per week. Filling the streets, they declared their demands so that everyone going about in Ragnuk Street could hear them. Most witches and wizards had become accustomed to that procedure and tried to go about their business but some still stopped to watch either approving of the demands to help out Muggles in need or swearing their heads off by calling the students traitors and even spitting on them in some cases.

And the one who lead those young protesters was none other than Kezban's younger brother Işık. Nolwazi had watched him today leading the march through the street. She had calmly been standing at a nearly news stand selling local and national wizarding newspapers observing the way he spoke and rallied his fellow students to their cause. Not judging but wondering...whether he would be a good start for a next possible lead.

As the students dispersed having finished with their weekly protest, Nolwazi approached him. Işık immediately recognized her.

"What are you here for? Arresting me?"

"No, not my area," Nolwazi replied, "besides, if that were the case, your sister would definitely see to it personally."

"Probably the only thing you and I can agree on," Işık said contemptibly.

"Not necessarily," Nolwazi said shifting her weight looking at him. Işık looked at her intrigued.

"Is that so?" he said with a sly grin, "A ministry witch wanting to help out Muggles..."

Nolwazi raised her eyebrows.

"Looks can be deceiving," she replied, "I am Muggle-born too, you know."

"And yet you help those who despise us," Işık said, "You and Kezban. We on the other hand are trying to make a difference."

Nolwazi looked towards the group of students disappearing around the corner.

"Look, I know you've been inspired by that banner. I'm trying to find those responsible for raising it up there."

Işık scoffed.

"Looks like looks don't deceive so often."

Nolwazi rolled her eyes and looked at him intently.

"You didn't just shouted random demands back there. I know those words, I've read them many times before. I even met the witch who wrote them once. I may be working for the ministry but that doesn't mean that I approve of everything they say and do. And I know for certain you don't. I also know that you've done more than just rallying fellow classmates."

Işık frowned and shifted uneasily.

"They'll never speak with you," he said quietly.

"Well, let them decide when we meet them," Nolwazi replied.

"They didn't raise the banner!" Işık whispered angrily.

"But they may know who did," Nolwazi said.

Işık looked at her still frowning. Nolwazi could sense his thoughts. Finally, he took Nolwazi's hand and disapparated.

They found themselves in a smaller street with terraced houses from the early 20th century.

"It's not easy to find them, they're organized decentralized," Işık explained leading Nolwazi down the street.

"Are you a Legilimens?" he bluntly asked her.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked in return.

"Dunno, I just do," he shrugged leading her to the left into the entrance of one of the houses.

"Nice disguise," Nolwazi commented regarding the sign which showed some random Muggle charity helping the poor.

"Well, we're doing the work _they_ feel is beneath them," Işık said somewhat cryptically.

"Who do you mean? Wizarding or Muggle authorities?"

"What's the difference?" Işık merely replied. Frowning, Nolwazi followed him. They passed the small entrance room (which was similarly disguised with Muggle posters advocating self-management and anti-authoritarianism as well as helping those who actually need help) and went up a set of stairs that led to an upper level which was subtly but nonetheless distinctly enchanted to fit more space. A kitchen practically worked itself with meals cooking themselves and dishes washing itself in midair.

Işık led Nolwazi to the room straight ahead where a small group of men and women sat together at a wooden table discussing some kind of plan. They all looked up when Işık gently knocked on the door.

"Hi guys," he said, "I'm bringing in someone new. This is Nolwazi."

He introduced her to the people at the table.

"This is Rebekka," he pointed to a girl with dashing red hair and freckles,

"That's Tomoko," he continued indicating a young woman with glasses greeting Nolwazi with a wave,

"Carl," a man of about 30 years of age nodded with a short smile.

"Philipp," a blond young man with a beard and thick black glasses raised a finger to his forehead mocking the old greeting with the hat.

"And Merle," Işık finished pointing to a girl with chestnut-brown hair.

Rebekka beckoned her to sit with them indicating a chair next to her. Smiling, Nolwazi sat down.

"Thank you," Nolwazi said regarding each of the small group.

"Nolwazi wanted to find out more of what we are doing here," Işık explained in her stead before Nolwazi could open her mouth again. He seemed determined to paint a certain picture of her. "Though, as I explained to her, she initially had some false ideas about us thinking that it was us who raised that banner in Berlin."

Some made "Oh!"-faces, others groaned. Philipp shook his head smirking.

"To get one thing straight, Nolwazi," Philipp said, "We're not those kind of people. We know what they want and we don't agree with them, not on certain things and methods anyway."

"We follow the way of Carlotta Pinkstone, not that of Kovář," Rebekka pointed out. "And we've been active a lot longer than his new followers are."

"They want to tear the prison down and erect an even bigger one in its place," Merle said, "What we want is to replace the prison by something else entirely, something with true freedom."

Nolwazi looked at her with a slight frown.

"Are you seriously comparing what we have with a prison?"

Merle nodded.

"In the way that we are not fully in control of our lives, we do not shape our way of live, we're told to live in the way someone above has told us to live by just like your ministry has ruled that you're not allowed to help us even if you wished to – oh yeah, I am Muggle," she added.

"The Statute of Secrecy is outdated, it has been for nearly 70 years now, 50 at least," Carl declared. "That has to change: regulating how people live, whether they can show themselves, violence by police or Aurors, laws and norms restricting us, schools forcing us to competing against each other to keep the system running...we need something else. And you can sense it too, I can see it in your eyes."

Nolwazi raised her eyebrows surprised.

"And how do you plan to cause that change?" she asked.

"There are many ways of doing so," Tomoko said. "We enlighten people, in person or through modern media. We provoke with demonstrations and protests such as the ones that Işık organizes. We act directly, helping people, whether magical or not, whether human or not. We live our own ways of life, individually or within different communities. There are far more of us than just us six. We are loosely connected through various networks."

Nolwazi sat there pondering.

"I want to find the people who've raised the banner. I don't know what exactly they're planning next but it could be violent. Did you have any contact with them?"

They all shook their heads.

"They don't seem to want anything to do with us," Philipp replied. "In fact, we've had indications that they'd want to remove us when they're in charge."

"They said that we weren't achieving anything but throwing phrases around while they were fighting for change. But change can be achieved in many ways and they don't have to be violent," Tomoko added.

"As you can see, we cannot help you in finding those people," Işık said pointedly.

Nolwazi nodded.

"Thanks," she muttered standing up and heading for the door. Another bloody dead end! And whenever they did show themselves, it seemed almost as if they were mocking her while at the same time teasing her into joining them. Ada had given her their faces but that didn't help much either, unless she were to coincidentally meet them on the street. She had to begin anew...again.

* * *

"And you found them like this?" Frothard asked Atubo who presented him with pictures of a crime scene.

"Yes, sir. All four of them were displayed like this with the candles around them shaped like a skull. Clearly the killing of these Muggle-borns was something symbolic to whoever did this. Some kind of ritual was performed here, probably involving dark arts."

"Could this be the group that attacked the church?" Frothard mused looking at the Head of the Auror Office.

"At this moment it's too early to say. However, we've been having success in identifying at least two members of that group, both from Pure-blood families: Wilhelm Ganhardt and Wilhelm Degenhardt. We've managed to track them down to what we believe is their hideout. We'll be preparing an operation to capture them shortly. Mister Austrad and I will lead the operation. He insisted. If you wish, you can monitor the progress via Two-Way Mirror, I'll keep an open connection throughout the mission."

Frothard nodded.

"Gladly...some good news at least," he sighed.

"If I may ask, sir, have we had any success in tracking down the Phoenix Movement yet?"

Frothard tilted his head.

"Miss Robinson is still searching for leads. So far she's only been stumbling into dead ends as she tells me. They are very good at hiding! Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way..."

He stared ahead uncertainly.

"What on Earth are they planning?..."

* * *

The face of that man flashed continuously in Nolwazi's head. There was something familiar about him. She had seen him before, she was sure of it! She just couldn't place it. A fact that, like the two dead policemen they had killed for her, she hadn't told Frothard. They clearly knew about her as well as the fact that she was looking for them. And the way they had been sending that message to her showed that they didn't seemed to be bothered by Nolwazi investigating them. Was it simply arrogance? Or something more? Did they want her to join them? Did they have a special interest in her or was she simply one of many chosen for something of value to them? And why did they try to lure her in this way? Why didn't they approach her directly like they had done with the vampires?

Nolwazi dwelled on these thoughts as she stepped up the steps towards the Chang family residence. It was located in the countryside next to a lake, a most idyllic scenery. The residence itself resembled a siheyuan, a historical Chinese courtyard house. One of the family's House-elves, Shunzan, led her in and escorted her to the southern building which had quite a large interior leading to Nolwazi believing it to be magically enlarged.

The family had dressed for the special occasion and were waiting together to receive her: Mr. Chang in almost regal yellow robes, his wife, Chihuang Wu, dressed in magnificent red gowns, Cho Chang and her 8-year-old daughter Katie, also traditionally dressed as was Eva who looked absolutely stunning with her blue robes and her hairstyle. Next to her hovered three ghosts, a woman and two men.

Nolwazi bowed to them and they returned the gesture.

"Good evening, Mr. Chang, thank you for receiving me. I am honored to meet you," Nolwazi said.

"The honor is mine," Mr. Chang said.

They sat around a great round dining table as the house-elves served them the finest of food: Peking duck, Zhajiangmian, Wontons, tangyuan, instant-boiled mutton, Bao Du...

Nolwazi enjoyed everything thoroughly while engaging in conversation with the rest of the family. The three ghosts, it turned out, were the earliest ancestors of the Chang family: Mo Fen, the ghost of a lovely looking witch, had lived at the time of the Shang dynasty and personally knew Lady Fu Hao, the king's wife. Her tales of those ancient times were fascinating but not as fascinating as what Hu Yi and Xi Bian had to tell:

"I was the first student of Master Zou Yan, the famous philosopher and potioneer," Hu Yi told Nolwazi, "The only wizard to ever teach at the Jixia Academy during the Warring States' Period. He didn't think too much of his fellow teachers as they did to him. They deemed him too unconventional. He was admired deeply by the regional rulers though, it is said that they even swept the road for him when he arrived! He soon left the academy to found China's oldest still standing wizarding school, the Wudang School of Magical Arts in Hubei Province."

"Did he teach you as well?" Nolwazi asked.

"Yes, he did, he taught all of us in fact," Hu Yi said pointing to the rest of the family, "except for Mo Fen and Cho of course."

"I joined the school as a young boy, during the Tang Dynasty," Xi Bian recounted. "At that point he was already 933 years old."

"It is said that he has discovered the Elixir of Life," Mr. Chang noted and pointed to a classical Chinese portrait. "That's him, right there."

Nolwazi turned around and saw the moving portrait of an elderly Chinese sage gleaming down from the paper on which he was painted. Observantly, he looked down and regarded Nolwazi with peculiar interest.

"I met him," Nolwazi said quietly, in awe, as she recollected that memory during her journey.

"I paid the school a visit to learn about ancient Chinese magic. The last of the old alchemists, now that Nicolas Flamel has gone..."

"We're continuing his work," Madam Wu said. "We pass along the knowledge of alchemy and potions. As a matter of fact, I personally brew the potion that Eva relies on the week before full moon."

Eva briefly looked down and looked Nolwazi in the eye who smiled comfortingly and stroked her cheek.

"At Hogwarts, alchemy is only reserved for students who have a particular interest in that subject," Cho added. "It is said that Professor Dumbledore was an alchemist himself."

"Did you know him?" Nolwazi asked interested.

"Not as much as Harry probably did..." Cho said, somewhat absentmindedly before clarifying: "Harry Potter, I mean. I was kind of strange, you know. After the war had ended, there was all this rumor floating around... exaggerated by Rita Skeeter of course! And now the British Ministry of Magic is slowly releasing the documents of that time where the rumors centered on, during the war against Grindelwald. Before, we thought we knew who he was even though we hardly knew him personally. You just knew of him, you know. Like you know of Zou Yan when you grow up in China..."

She shook her head.

"No one really is who they look like once you met them personally," Nolwazi replied wisely. "We always paint out own picture of the person we meet. And it's always black and white at first."

A House-elf came carrying a tray on which stood a goblet with a steaming liquid. Eva very quietly groaned on seeing the thing but took it and, with a glance of disgust, began to gulp it down like she had had nothing to drink for days.

"I need something to drink," she murmured afterwards.

"I can help out with that," Nolwazi whispered to her grinning with a wink. Eva couldn't help but smile.

"Will you stay with me during...you know?" she said shlyly.

"Of course, honey! I said I would, why would I stop now?" Nolwazi replied smiling reassuringly.

* * *

Eva's room looked as splendid as the rest of the residence, wide and comfortable. A couple of chairs and a sofa was there along with cupboards. Nolwazi immediately noticed the sheets of paper filled with Chinese calligraphy and those already hanging on the wall.

"Did you write these?" she asked impressed.

Eva nodded.

"You can understand Chinese too, don't you?" she wondered.

"It comes naturally when you're a natural legilimens," Nolwazi merely commented.

Eva bit her lips and briefly glanced out of the window which were enchanted to be unbreakable. The doors to her room were shut by the House-elves and likewise enchanted: no one could get in or out now.

"Thank you for doing this," Eva said slowly kneeling down looking onto the floor expectantly, afraid. Nolwazi rushed to her and pressed her face against her breast.

"Any time," she whispered. They remained like this for a while. Then suddenly Eva gasped and started to shiver.

"Please get away from me," she begged trembling, "it'll start soon!"

Nolwazi gulped and moved away from her on all fours before sitting onto the bed.

"It...it always s-starts like this," Eva stammered her face contorted with pain. One eye scarily neutral blue, the other one dark brown and tinted with fear. She shivering became stronger, almost grotesque as if some large force was fighting its way free out of her body. Nolwazi wanted to dart towards her and hug her but she knew that this would be futile. Eva may have kept her mind but the shock of transformation would make her unwillingly lash out. One moment, she crouched on her knees, almost in a fetal position but then her head swung backwards and a terrible inhuman sound emerged from her mouth – a horrible snarling noise. Blood dripped from her mouth as her teeth moved and changed shape, her entire jaw was shivering as four fangs penetrated into view. In the mix of painful howling and snarling, her legs lengthened and changed as well becoming wolf-like, her hands were curling into paws with her nails forcefully pushed themselves out of her fingers, bloody and claw-like! Her skin darkened and her face was lengthening as did her neck, her entire body changed form...

Nolwazi watched as, groaning with pain, the werewolf before her stretched her head one more time...before collapsing onto the floor panting. Somehow her face was not terrifying to Nolwazi for a distinct right eye glanced at her, blue and beautiful. Eva, in her wolf-form, looked at her though her oh so different eyes. Nolwazi could see the fear, the sadness in them. Slowly, she rose from the bed and got onto all fours and, as she approached her girlfriend's new, temporal form, changed herself into a cat.

She approached Eva who had curled herself up like a fetus. Nolwazi sensed her trembling. She rubbed her head against Eva's and purred closing her eyes. She then laid down next to her so much bigger form now perfectly fitting into her fetal position. Nolwazi saw Eva opening her undamaged eye which still looked somewhat human now, even in wolf form. Eva put one paw around Nolwazi's cat form and held her close. Nolwazi could feel her relax and sense her mind calming down. Someone was with her! For the first time ever! She wasn't alone during her transformation. Nolwazi felt actual joy rise up inside her girlfriend.

Nolwazi was woken up by the shivering of Eva's wolf body. It was dawn outside. Opening her eyes, she found Eva's body contorting and shrinking, bones cracking as they reshaped into that of a human skeleton. She retreated as Eva winced and rolled on her back while her face flattened until finally Eva lay there in human form still trembling shakily looking at Nolwazi and managed to hold out an arm to reach for her. Changing back, Nolwazi crawled towards her and laid on top of Eva finding her to be sweaty and bloody. Her normal eye had some red in it. Eva leaned forward and kissed Nolwazi.

"Thank you!" she whispered.

Nolwazi rolled them both around until they lay at their side and proceeded to open the buttons of her robes. Eva latched on as soon as she glanced her breast and Nolwazi stoked her head gently while looking down on her shushing her.

"It's okay...I'm here. I will always be here, Eva!"

She kissed her forehead and they laid there until they heard the doors click.

* * *

Nolwazi had had barely time to enjoy breakfast with the rest of the Chang family as she got an urgent call from Frothard himself demanding her to join him at level 2 of the Federal Ministry of Magic.

"You're looking festive," he commented as she approached him waiting in front of the door leading to the map room of the Department of Magical Security.

"Thanks, sir. I visited my girlfriend's family yesterday."

"Oh, I see," he said connecting the dots. He and Mr. Chang were well acquainted.

Frothard let Nolwazi into the room which was crowded with people observing various maps.

"We've begun a major operation tonight and were about to strike," the federal minister explained to Nolwazi.

"I need you by my side as a witness and aid, in case I miss something."

Nolwazi frowned.

"Are you afraid that something might happen?"

Frothard merely sighed.

"Madam Atubo and Mr. Austrad are both leading the mission, he seemed very insistent on that," he then added.

The reflection on the giant Two-Way Mirror gave way to a shaky image of a Muggle terraced house in the center of a city. It was still early in the morning and not many people were up.

"We're going in," Atubo said off-screen. As soon as she and Austrad were inside the hallway, more Aurors apparated on different floors as the forming group moved upwards to the highest floor. Frothard watched in anticipation and the map room was silent. Nolwazi tried to catch every detail of what she saw in the mirror.

A wand could be seen as they approached a door. Silently, the door swung open and the Aurors moved inside. Shouting could be heard and then red rays of light. The mirror became more shaky and then suddenly the picture became so blurry that you couldn't see anything for a few seconds before it stop shaking entirely providing an image of a doorway as if the mirror was lying sideways on the floor.

"What happened?" Frothard called out. Nolwazi stepped closer to the giant mirror in the map room.

"Did Atubo get hit?" he asked.

"I didn't see a spell fired in her direction..." Nolwazi said slowly as the feet of Aurors rushed by on the screen. Then purple light hit the shining wooden floor of the house and the sound of someone disapparating could be heard. An Auror bowed down to what Nolwazi assumed to be Atubo, his face outside of the mirror's frame.

"Move away, move away," a voice said and soon enough, Mr. Austrad, the department head, held up the mirror.

"Balduin, what happened?" Frothard asked again.

"Atubo is down but alive," Austrad replied panting. "Degenhardt and Ganhardt are dead, killed themselves with some kind of dark spell. Purple flames, sir. Burns flesh...we've only found their clothes, even their wands are intact. Third member of the group has been identified as Rhea Adalbert. She tried to flee but one of our men clung himself to her, was taken with her."

Frothard nodded.

"Get Madam Atubo to Paracelsus Hospital and clear off the area. As soon as you're done, report back here, I'll be meeting you here then."

"Understood," Austrad replied. The mirror once again showed them their reflections. Frothard turned to Nolwazi who looked pointedly at him.

"You're thinking the same as I do," he concluded.

Nolwazi glance briefly at Kezban who had likewise been watching the whole scene. She wondered whether Kezban did have anything to do now as the cases of enchanted Muggle objects and disturbances had amounted to exactly zero ever since the banner had been erected, at least in Berlin and Brandenburg which was the territory she was responsible for.

She followed the minister back to his office. Frothard threw some powder into the fireplace and the fire turned green at once.

* * *

Paracelsus Hospital was the oldest wizarding hospital in Germany and the one with the most prestige. Nolwazi had never once visited it until now. People started to murmur as the Federal Minister himself appeared at the reception to ask about Madam Atubo. Taking the elevator to the fourth floor, Nolwazi and Frothard were led by one of the healers through a long hallway and into a room with only one bed which was quite comfortable.

"The curse didn't do permanent damage but she'll be unable to attend field missions for a while," the healer explained. "She needs to stay here for at least two days."

The healer left at once and Frothard conjured up two chairs for himself and Nolwazi. Madam Atubo looked at them weakly and smiled upon seeing their faces.

"How are you, Evelyn?" Frothard asked.

"Better than I could have ended up," she responded. "He either didn't want me dead or he just didn't cast his spell effectively."

"Why did he want you out of the picture?" Nolwazi asked.

"I'm not sure, I was only dimly aware that I was awake," Madam Atubo replied. "What happened?"

"One of the three, the woman, escaped," Frothard explained. "An Auror is on her tail. Degenhardt and Ganhardt apparently have killed themselves with purple flames."

Madam Atubo briefly stared ahead thinking things through.

"It was Austrad. He attacked me, he was at my left. I saw it, Arbogastis. Whatever curse he used, he must have learned it at Durmstrang."

Frothard looked furious. He abruptly rose from his chair and, after a quick "get well soon", stormed out of the room so fast that Nolwazi actually had to run to keep up with him.

* * *

Arriving at his office through the fireplace, Frothard didn't skip a beat and used the stairs to reach the second level. The map room was filled with the Aurors from the crime scene as well as Austrad who had a few of them gathered around him giving them instructions. They all looked up as Frothard and Nolwazi came striding in.

"Miss Çalışkan," Frothard called out, "gather every information we could get from that hideout and give me a report once you're finished."

Kezban nodded with a puzzled look on her face.

"Arbogastis, what–"

"That's Minister to you," Frothard interrupted Austrad whose face turned grim as he understood what Frothard was going to do.

"Balduin Austrad, I'm relieving you of duty. You're arrested for attempted murder and disrupting an Auror investigation! Transfer him to Nurmengard," he added to the pair of Aurors seizing Austrad, "He'll have some familiar company."

"No!"

With a few punches with his elbows, Austrad had freed himself from the Aurors' grips and drawn his wand. About a dozen more so were aimed at him at once including those of Kezban and Nolwazi.

"As you can see, Balduin, you're seriously outnumbered." Frothard said with a serious expression.

Austrad smiled slightly.

"You think I was gonna duel you all?" he said. He closed his eyes and Nolwazi, understanding what he was about to do, made the wand movement to disarm him but when his wand fell to the ground his body was already falling backwards having been hit by a burst of green light.

Everyone in the room stared at the body of the Head of the Department of Magical Security. Then the Federal Minister for Magic sighed.

"Get him out of here," he ordered, "And check his wand for his last spells. Look out for one that cast purple flames."

He approached Kezban who was still breathing heavily.

"Miss Çalışkan, I hereby appoint you as the new Head of the Department of Magical Security. Madam Atubo still needs a few days to recover. Until she does, you will also be in charge of the Auror Office. If you would please come to my office, there's a few things I would like to talk to you about."

Kezban stared at him for a few seconds as if he was a giraffe that had suddenly stepped into the room. Then she composed her head and quickly nodded.

"Y-yes. Of course."

Kezban shot a glance at Nolwazi as she followed Frothard out of the room. As they went through the door, a memo shot inside and came to a hold in front of Nolwazi who quickly took it.

_Please come and see me at Staffstraße as soon as you can._

_Got important news for you_

_Cho Chang_

With a grim satisfaction, Nolwazi quickly headed for the elevator.

The wizarding street was full of witches and wizards going shopping as Nolwazi made for the café. Cho was already waiting for her outside. They embraced and Nolwazi sat down beside her.

"It seems that your movement has been active in their cover as a Muggle protest part, mainly in villages and small towns. At least so far as the Muggle news are concerned. Look at this."

Cho played a video on her Smartphone showing a report from a local newspaper:

" _The small village of Kauwind in the state of Thuringia has locally been infamous for being in a sorrow state for decades. After the Wende in 1989, people started to hope for better times here. Now, 23 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the inhabitants have lost hope saying that no political party has paid attention to their situation._

 _That is until the newly formed Phoenix Party has been setting up a local branch here. The party which had drawn widespread attention to itself at a shopping center in Berlin back in June, has brought new life into the village according to several inhabitants we spoke to. For the first time in seven years, young people are back here having set up new projects which gives the local population a new purpose. They have also started to repair the damage of aging buildings and structures, not just in the village itself but now also in the bordering region such as the old bridge built in 1923._ "

An in-depth article could be found under the video.

"Why hasn't this been picked up by the bigger news agencies?" Nolwazi wondered.

"I wish I knew," Cho said. "I talked to some Muggle journalists who work for major newspapers and TV news agencies. They were as surprised as we were. Maybe whoever leads the local branch of the party doesn't want the news out...yet."

Nolwazi skimmed through the article.

"It says here that the reporters tried to speak to the representatives of the party but couldn't find an office...It sounds more like a miracle, doesn't it? If you read between the lines? The way they fixed that bridge, apparently all on their own with not building company or such involved..."

Nolwazi and Cho looked at each other.

"I'm going down there," Nolwazi said.

"Mind if I come with you?" Cho asked.

Nolwazi smiled.

"Not at all."


	7. The Unpursuable

No one really knew how old the hallways and chambers of the Department of Experimental Magic really were. They were at least a thousand years old and were here long before being used as part of the Federal Ministry of Magic. Some believed that they, in the beginning, served as some kind of place for pursuing knowledge since the statutes in the individual chambers were those of potioneers and alchemists as well as herbologists. In the years since their construction (there were no records of how the hallways began – they were just found here in 1690), they had expanded considerably as more divisions had been set up. When the Statute of Secrecy began, the halls had been used by a small group of witches and witches, who worked directly for the then Minister for Magic, Catharina Acoluthus, when the institution didn't really have a headquarters and didn't have the influence it did later. The institution in Regensburg was one of many that just happened to be used by the Council of Magic, the head of which was Madam Acoluthus whose title of Minister for Magic was just that – a title.

Said group, as classified information in the department's archive revealed, were the first Obliviators working for the ministry, their mission: develop methods to hide the wizarding world and any evidence of the existence of magic as well as seal off important magical sites. Any Muggle who only caught a glimpse of magic was to be obliviated. Many of the magical devices constructed by this group were now being used by the Federal Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Security, a section which had separated itself in 1736 from what would become the Department of Experimental Magic.

In the centuries to come, the hallways and chambers specialized to devote themselves to various mysteries and highly unusual magical phenomena. Only they had the authority to inspect and investigate remote magical sites and ancient unusual magical artifacts within the administration of Wizarding Germany. Learning the art of curse-breaking was compulsory as was obliviating which also included witches and wizards who had found these sites if they hadn't been found by members of the department. The ancient construction in which the department was operating in was guarded more closely than equivalent in any other country such as the British Department of Mysteries, now infamous for being invaded by Death Eaters as well as a bunch of Hogwarts students in 1996.

This would be impossible for the Department of Experimental Magic, several security methods made sure of that. And in the rare case that someone actually was granted access to the department, their memories were unapologetically wiped afterwards. Every time, by the most skilled Obliviators the department had.

Mathilda had the feeling that the halls and chambers of the department sometimes seemed like they had a life of their own, a mind of their own. As if they were walking through a living being, having become sentient after centuries of guarding knowledge. And it was that knowledge which she loved to discover.

"Where should we head next?" Adam wondered looking at Mathilda who rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache.

"Are you okay?" Orzala asked gently touching Mathilda's shoulder. Mathilda startled and abruptly backed away from the other witch.

"Sorry," Orzala said quietly.

"It's okay," Mathilda replied.

"Is it that vision?" Adam wanted to know. Mathilda nodded.

"I want to understand! I wish I could help, you know? Actually help with this thing about the Phoenix Movement instead of doing useless tasks."

She gazed ahead into the long corridor before them, that endlessly long hallway which, like a metro tunnel, stretched on and on into the darkness.

"Let's take a journey," she proposed.

"A journey? To where?" Orzala asked although she already guessed at the answer.

"Into the unknown," Mathilda replied calmly yet with purpose and exploration in her voice. "The hallways, they have answers...they know the impossible! And they know us. Let us hear what they have to say!"

She looked at her team and Orzala and Adam looked back at her. Words weren't needed. They all knew that they wished to explore this place at their leisure. And now they had been given the chance. Mathilda went ahead taking them through the tunnel-like hallway with its wooden floor and stone walls illuminated by oil lamps and candles that gave the whole structure something church-like as if they were in a long underground cathedral or temple. They took a turn to the right and accessed a small corridor which more than ever felt like a tunnel and bent itself to the left leading to what seemed like a dead-end: the same stone wall could be seen with a small candle hanging from it. But as Mathilda slowly advanced stretching out her hand, she saw a figure appearing _inside_ the wall. And that figure was herself! Mathilda knew this defense but it still instilled a kind of unknown fear inside her that she couldn't explain, something telling her to turn around.

The other Mathilda moved exactly as she did, only that it was her left hand that was stretched out instead of her right. There was something off about her as if she had been somewhere she didn't want to be, as though she was trapped...the real Mathilda grinned and moved straight ahead to the surprise and mild shock of her two friends. She found herself in a wide room with thin, long white columns scattered all around the room which had windows to the left and right that were high above her filling the dark room with eerie blue light. And positioned throughout the room were a dozen or so mirrors in all shapes and sizes, some standing on the ground, other hovering in the air. Orzala and Adam meanwhile had come through the one behind her which showed the tunnel on the other end but still reflected any person in the room.

But so far, the three of them were the only ones here. Perhaps the people working here were sitting in one of the four rooms that seemed to be at the end of the chamber and whose doors seemed to be open as warm orange light shone out of them. But then again, it could be one of the mirrors playing tricks on them.

"Why mirrors?" Adam asked looking around.

"Oh, mirrors can tell you a lot," Mathilda explained calmly, "That one over there is pretty chatty, don't try it out for long though! You'll be chatting with your own reflection for hours on end."

She slowly stepped further into the room.

"You want to know your own desires, your fears and the happiest days of your life, past or future? This is the room! Keep your head! People have known to trap themselves in this room, refusing to leave it even when their colleagues begged them to. Be careful what you're looking at!"

"Then why are they being placed in here so randomly?" Orzala wondered.

"Why do you think?" Mathilda asked rhetorically. "Everything here is defense! It always was: every object of interest being studied here, examined, was also a weapon. This place was here long before any ministry, remember? In those times, it was no more protected than, say, Hogwarts. Hidden but able to be visited by others. The brightest minds were said to have founded it and roamed its corridors. Who knew whether one day someone would seek to exploit it? And it's become tradition. This is one of the most secure magical places on earth!"

She peered around a column and came face to face with a hand mirror hovering in mid air. She quickly stepped on but the mirror hovered alongside her determined to literally face her. Adam attempted to grab its handle but Mathilda held his wrist tight in her hand.

"Don't even think about it...you won't be able to let go!"

She looked him, with her whispered words so sharp, her eyes piercing right into his with a dunning gaze in a way that Adam had never seen her looking at anyone. He nodded and she let go of his wrist. Mathilda led them on and Orzala and Adam had to remind themselves not to stare too closely into the mirrors. Many showed not a reflection but images, sometimes both, like the mirror at the beginning. Orzala found herself being drawn to a soft and loving whisper filled with promises and longing. Magnetized, she slowly stepped towards a tall, thin mirror which seemed almost like water squeezed into the form of a rectangular mirror. She gazed into it stunned to find her brother staring back at her smiling warmly. Oh, if only she could embrace him! He should be much older than his image in the mirror and Orzala found herself to blink a few times rapidly. As the image faded, the mirror seemed to bend its upper part towards her. Orzala's face, having been so immensely filled with happiness now bore fear and with a short shriek she shielded her eyes running blindly into the direction Mathilda and Adam had gone to find them standing before her each holding her shoulders. Orzala breathed heavily.

"See?" Mathilda said, the hint of a worried expression on her face, "Defense."

Orzala nodded. On they went. They had nearly reached the end of the chamber when one of the larger mirrors moved in front of them on its two legs.

"Mathilda Leitfried, here again!" it said with humming voice, "what is your aim?"

"I seek answers, for myself and for others," Mathilda said calmly.

"Then you may step on. I see the honest intentions of you and your friends," the mirror replied.

Mathilda nodded and stepped around the mirror with the other two following her to the doorway bathing the floor and wall with warm orange light. The room to where it led was narrow but long. Small round tables were set up under glowing orbs emitting the orange light. An old man sat at one of the tables examining a small mirror. He was bald but had a long white beard.

"Mathilda!" he said with a frail voice that nonetheless sounded friendly. "You here...they've all left. They left...so long ago..."

"Two months ago," Mathilda reminded him. "I was the last to leave."

The old man leaned back and slowly turned his head to look at her.

"Oh..."

Mathilda looked at him in a sad yet amusing way.

"We're here looking for answers," Mathilda explained.

"I know why you're here, my child," the old man replied turning back to examining the mirror, "But I'm afraid events have already been set in motion. People are choosing...choosing the future. And not many are willing to stop it. Those who do will find themselves outnumbered. They'll have to use all their might to prevent it....And it may cost them everything."

Mathilda exchanged looks with Orzala and Adam who stared back at her and the old man with wide eyes. Mathilda blinked looking back at her old mentor. She then made for the doors again motioning her companions to follow her.

"We have to go deeper," she told them and pointed at the other set of open doors leading to yet another tunnel.

The next tunnel was much longer than the one leading to the Chamber of Mirrors. It was also narrower, so much so that they had to crouch to fit through. It opened up to a large circular room that seemed to go up into black nothingness. The walls seemed to be made out of black stone which had a mysteriously green shimmer in it.

"Again no one here," Orzala commented.

"Well, they sort of work abroad," Mathilda replied pointing to the grey stone arches that had been erected all over the chamber. The entrance of each seemed to glow making it impossible to see what was on the other side.

"Do they lead somewhere?" Adam asked.

"Not to any place on this world," Mathilda said enigmatically slowly approaching one of them. "They can lead to all sorts of places. places we can't conventionally access. Other times, other worlds, possibly other versions of this world...you have to plan how long you wish to stay there for time can go slower or faster there. One colleague came back after five minutes after having spent three decades on the other side!"

She looked back to her friends.

"It's unlikely that we find answers here...unless to how things could have gone. There's said to be a world out there where there never was a Statute of Secrecy, imagine that! Doesn't mean it's all peaceful there. And you're not just allowed to get there. It's not possible without authorization. That's why you can't see what's inside these arches. The gateways are sealed. The walls have closed."

They moved past the arches which emitted noises from those other worlds and times, wonderful, intriguing and frightening. Mathilda led them into the main hallway again which now led seemingly into nothing on both sides: they had moved so far inside the department that the entrance could not be seen anymore. The next chamber was not dark but not bright either. It had a glow about it but it didn't come from any source, it just seemed to be there. The thing that made this room glow was something else.

"What are these?" Orzala wondered.

"I don't know," Mathilda replied, "I've never come this far."

As they stepped further into the room, the enigmatic glow morphed into images that came in and out of focus whenever they moved near and away from one respectively.

“They’re memories!” Orzala exclaimed with a bright smile. Mathilda raised her arm to touch one and immediately it expanded to fill the whole room. They stood inside a cave shaped by stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by several spots of firelight. They turned as they saw a figure slowly stepping through the narrow corridor leading to the wider portion of the cave with a torch in his right hand. The man was small and muscular, with a thick nose and a prominent brow ridge. His chin was small, practically non-existent.

“A Neanderthal!” Adam whispered.

“There’s no need in whispering, they can’t hear us,” Mathilda reminded him.

They watched the Neanderthal joined a couple of men, women and children who were all painting the walls. The Neanderthal who had come in proceeded to led the torch hover in mid-air and moved his hands in swift, flowing motions while chanting some kind of incantation in a long-forgotten language. The images on the walls began to move: animals running about, people dancing around and a mother tending to her baby. The memory dissolved and hovered again as an enigmatic glow.

“We’d need months, maybe years to watch them all,” Mathilda commented.

“This must be one of the memories inside the cylinders we studied,” Orzala mused.

“Let’s go further,” Mathilda said.

* * *

The next chamber they entered was filled with candles and had the looks of a tall crypt. They moved past a couple of elegantly crafted tombs. About a dozen or so glass cabinets were scattered about tall enough to allow a person to stand in them. Some were empty, others filled with many curious and sometimes frightened things: a blank-eyed man was lying against the wall of one of them. He was still breathing but otherwise didn’t seem to recognize anything.

“What happened to him?” Adam asked.

“I’ve heard about that,” Orzala said, “It must be the Dementor’s Kiss. The British Ministry of Magic used to use horrible creatures to guard their prison called Dementors. They feasted on people’s souls. This man has had his soul sucked out by them.”

“Sucked out?” Adam asked appalled.

“They don’t use them anymore,” Mathilda added calmly gazing at the body. “After their wizarding war ended, the Dementors were banned from their country. They’ve retreated to the north, beyond the polar region. They prefer the cold. I’ve met some in Siberia when I travelled with Nolwazi.”

She moved further and stopped before a shelf filled with skulls all of which were emitting an orange glow where the brain would be.

“Soul containers,” Mathilda gasped staring at them in awe. “They use this technique in Central America: once a year, the souls of the dead are coming back to celebrate a lavish feast with the living. These skulls allow the returning souls a place to rest during that time.”

“But isn’t that dark magic?” Orzala wondered.

“They don’t use that distinction in the new world,” Mathilda explained. “They even believe that it was a snake which created the world.”

“But how can the souls come back and remain inside the skull?” Adam asked.

“I’m not sure,” Mathilda said, “But there have been ways of storing the soul inside an object after death and even parts of a living soul! Sometimes, a the dying soul refuses to leave the body behind and remains inside it and is even able to control it loosely. The Chinese call this phenomenon a _Jiāngshī_. There are rumors that Gellert Grindelwald used a technique like that on a skull he kept but no one is really sure what is was yet. They say he used that skull to show visions.”

They left the Chamber of Hereafter and moved on to the next that seemed to have no floor at first. Then they realized that it was enchanted to depict outer space with its myriad of stars. The solar system could be seen in a corner, a miniature but so realistic that the head-sized sun actually seemed to emit heat. And in the very center was a giant orb of glass showing a portion of the galaxy. They found out that they could move the galaxy and even zoom in to specific locations and project them inside the room.

As they went through the main hallway towards the next chamber, Mathilda suddenly stopped dead in her tracks holding her hands to her head.

“What is it, what do you see?” Orzala asked.

Breathing heavily, Mathilda stared ahead.

“Damn it! It’s not clear yet,” she mumbled to herself.

She quickened her speed running through the next chamber which featured the remains of an enormous Deathly Hallows Sign as well as a mural showing three men holding a wand, a small stone and a cloak. Mathilda, Orzala and Adam hurried past a beautiful fountain and arrived in the next chamber which seemed to be filled to the brim with filing cabinets. Mathilda slid past the first row and stopped almost tumbling over and moved into the row on the left.

“Must be…must be here…” the mumbled constantly as she stopped before a drawer and pulled it open flipping through the records.

“This is the old archive, isn’t it?” Adam said as Mathilda pulled out the last folder and opened it reading the content with wide eyes.

“No, no, no, no, no, no!”

What is it?”

Mathilda laid the folder onto a small table showing the other two what she had been looking for.

“I…just saw…ruins of an old magical site…and a man…I don’t know who he is…but I just kept thinking where this organization, this Phoenix Movement might hide their base. Look at these records. After the statute of Secrecy was enacted, the first people who worked here were the first professional Obliviators for the ministry, right? Now, in working to hide the wizarding world, they also sealed off any magical site what was no longer used and only the members of the Department of Experimental Magic were allowed to work there and do research. So, they kept detailed reports on those sites, on any suspicious activity. And look: these records only go until May! Someone has either wiped the records or failed or intentionally stopped to make them.”

She looked at Orzala and Adam who were now getting at where she was going with this.

“Which means…” Orzala said slowly, “…we have a traitor in here: someone who works for the Phoenix Movement.”

The slammed the folder back inside the drawer and began to run back towards the main hall but stopped again now actually tumbling as she held her hands to her head.

_Nolwazi…a familiar dead body displayed there like a ritual with candles around it shaped like a skull with a snake-like tongue…figures dressed in black robes wearing silver masks and a flash or green light…_

Horrified, Mathilda raced along the hallway to the grey wall and past the waterfall to the elevator with Adam and Orzala close behind.

“Where are you going, Tilda, what did you see?” Orzala cried as she and Adam where chasing after her just in time to reach the elevator before the gates closed.

“We need to speak to Frothard!”


	8. The Calm

The village of Kauwind lay in the middle of nowhere. A bunch of small houses gathered along a couple of streets. It could have been the very cliché of a forgotten, crumbling quiet village which was inhabited by the last of its inhabitants.

But no – the houses looked as if they had just been built, restored to their former glory and looking rather colorful. The post office, the small café, the book store, the administrative office...even the bridge spanning the river was rebuilt. As Nolwazi and Cho made their way up to the center of the village, they gazed in amazement and shock. Clearly, this was the work of magic. No Muggle construction could finish this so quickly. The last reports which were only days old, as the two witches had researched before coming here, spoke of a village which was on the verge of becoming a ghost town, with only old people living here. As they reached the small marketplace, Nolwazi and Cho found several young people organizing some sort of event and the old people who were also present looking as happy as possible, overjoyed, some were even helping out as much as they could.

Glancing around, Nolwazi quickly found what she was looking for: a purple flag with an almost glowing red phoenix in its center! The flag of the Phoenix Party. She nudged Cho by the arm and pointed towards it. Cho nodded understandingly.

"Do you think they're wizards, those young people?" she asked.

Nolwazi led her mind wander gently and swiftly looking for people's thoughts.

"Not these people," she said. "But they believe in what they do. I can sense nothing but deep conviction from them. They're here voluntarily."

She took a few steps forward and suddenly found herself next to an empty spot...and spot where there was no mind! The spot was moving and belonged to a young woman with black hair under her hat and sharp blue eyes. Occlumency. The woman moved swiftly and her figure was very intriguing. Nolwazi decided to approach her.

"Excuse me," she said and the woman turned around. For a second, her gaze spoke of revelation and her eyes briefly widened as she couldn't sense Nolwazi's thoughts but she immediately presented a friendly smile.

"Ah, welcome to Kauwind!", she said. "I assume you've read the ad. We can use every help we can get."

"I imagine," Nolwazi said equally smiling though nothing more sincere than the woman in front of her. They eyed one another.

"I see the Phoenix Party has already begun to deliver on its promises," Nolwazi observed with a nod to the flag. "I had the perception that you didn't want to get noticed."

The woman tilted her head.

"Oh, we get noticed only to those we want get noticed by. We know what they're looking for...and where."

She winced.

"But I assume that you wouldn't want to actually stay here," she continued. "Not unless you truly want to."

Her smile faded just a little. Nolwazi kept looking at her, her hands in her pockets, assessing her.

"Why are you helping them?" Nolwazi asked, "What do you hope to gain...? Votes? Influence? Territory?"

"Don't you want to find out?" the woman teased her. "You've not been very subtle...or efficient."

"Do they know how you did it?" Cho asked having approached the woman as well. "Don't they suspect something?"

"Why should they suspect something?" the woman asked in return, "Why should they care? Finally someone is caring for them. They don't mind the means. In fact, they are in awe of them. Do write about it in that paper of yours," she added making Cho gasp.

"What are they going to do about it? They have other problems to handle right now."

She touched her hat and turned around attending once again to what she had been doing before.

"They seem very confident," Cho commented.

"Of course they are, this is but a small theater on their battlefield," Nolwazi mused her hands behind her back watching the preparations. "They've convinced centaurs, goblins, vampires...they've come all this way without being detected. Only few witches and wizards would look that close. Muggle-borns usually. They either don't mind or have joined them. They didn't just address the Muggle population in their rallying cries on the internet. They knew that some witches and wizards were also watching...exactly those they wanted to. And look,"

Nolwazi glanced around.

"The perfect proving ground: in the middle of nowhere, not looked upon, certainly not by wizards. No magical population here if there ever was one. Unimportant."

Cho's phone buzzed. She picked it up astonished about the good connection out here.

"But it won't stay that way..." Nolwazi mumbled looking over Cho's shoulder.

"Oh my gosh!" Cho gasped looking at the screen.

She saw a video on YouTube by the Phoenix Party's channel showing the parliamentary leader of the party in Saxony holding a speech in a square in Leipzig in front of thousands of people and they were all cheering. The next video showed members of the party speaking to people about their problems promising to fix them.

Cho searched the internet for news of news agencies and surely enough, now the important news channels were picking up the chatter posting articles about the activity of the Phoenix Party's actions describing them as a party unlike any other quoting inhabitants of Leipzig showing their approval of the party almost unanimously.

"It has begun..." Nolwazi whispered. She looked at Cho who had a frightened expression on her face.

"We have to inform the minister," she said.

"What is it he should do, then?" Nolwazi asked back. "The Phoenix Party is an officially registered party of Germany, we can't just wipe them out or instructing the chancellor to do so. Why do you think that woman was so confident? They have the protection of exactly the institution they wish to destroy. A request to ban the party first has to be made, it has to be checked. Bureaucracy is protecting them now. It's a brilliant tactic. There's nothing we can do, Cho."

Cho shook her head looking furiously at the people preparing the stage for the event they were planning to hold. Sighing, she turned around with Nolwazi following her. Cho didn't even wait for her and disapparated immediately after reaching the corner. Nolwazi looked back one more time thinking about what the woman had actually been saying to her, veiled so carefully with her words.

* * *

Staffstraße was as full as usual when Eva arrived through the fire. Nolwazi had said that she would pick her up here to go to her home. Nolwazi’s family was meeting for coffee and Nolwazi had asked her girlfriend whether she wanted to participate in that. Eva had agreed. She was waiting in front of the bookshop where they had first met. How she had looked at that gorgeous woman with her partially purple hair and her deep blue robes with a green-and-red pattern that flowed freely around her body yet at the same time it wasn’t hiding her form, not at all. Such a hot form! Eva remembered Nolwazi’s cheeky smile when she had looked at her, so teasing! She had wanted to meet this girl again. And now they were not only together but her parents had allowed it and had allowed her to go out with only her and even wait alone here in a wizarding street!

“Such an intoxicating experience, isn’t it? True freedom?”

Eva turned to see a young man with brown hair and a beard and blue eyes leaning against the other side of the door frame watching her. He wore Muggle clothing and was politely smiling at her.

“I remember when I was young, I had a friend who was a werewolf as well,” the man continued. “Back then, the Wolfsbane Potion had just been invented. I said to him that I wouldn’t stop ‘till I’d found a way to cure him of his affliction…”

The man looked at Eva poignantly.

“Who are you?” Eva asked with a frown.

“My name’s Holger. Holger Wannemacher. And I think I have found a way to cure your lycanthropy.”

He straightened and took a step closer to her.

“But what would you say if there was a world where people like you, or me, could live openly and work together, no matter whether we’re magical or not, where it wouldn’t even matter whether you’re human or a vampire or a goblin?”

He was now looking at her with a fire in his piercing blue eyes that spoke of a passion that ran so deep within him…

“I know you want that freedom, Eva. And I know that, somewhere deep inside her, Nolwazi wants it too. She came to the ministry hoping that she could change something. But the powers that be are too afraid or unwilling to do what is necessary. We need a new world with new visions! Come to us and I’ll offer you a way to find that new world. Look out for giants. That’s where you will find me.”

He smiled at her and retreated looking past her and then back one more time before disapparating.

Eva turned to where that man had looked to see Nolwazi hurrying towards her. Eva smiled in relief and ran up to Nolwazi and practically threw herself into her girlfriend.

Nolwazi laughed and the two kissed before Nolwazi looked her girlfriend in the eye.

“Who was that back there?” she asked.

Eva shook her head.

“I don’t know; just some weird bloke. I think he was into me or something.”

Nolwazi slowly nodded staring at the spot where he had been.

“So…shall we?” she asked brightly. Eva nodded enthusiastically and the two went back to the Kaminhaus holding hands.

* * *

The room was barely illuminated apart from the ever-burning candles that were shaped like a skull with a snake tongue coming out of the mouth surrounding the body of the young Muggle-born man.

Kezban was crouching down beside it studying one of the candles. A few Aurors were going about the room collecting evidence and making pictures of the body. Kezban stood up.

“We need to find out who is behind this, these incidences are piling up,” she said to no one in particular. She took out a Two-Way Mirror.

“So far we haven’t found any new clues,” she reported to Frothard, “The shape of the candles reminds me of a symbol used by the followers of Tom Riddle in Britain, possibly admirers.”

“But the Death Eaters never did anything like that,” Frothard pointed out. “I’ve just spoken to Kingsley Shacklebolt, he’s sending his Head of the Auror Office to help out; he will meet us in my office in an hour.”

* * *

When she entered Frothard’s Office, she was prepared for anything but this: as she stepped inside, both Frothard and the man on the other side of the desk stood up. The other man was about 32 years old, had untidy jet-black hair and almond-shaped green eyes and glasses. But the most defining thing about him was the lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. It was almost beyond unnecessary for Frothard to introduce him to her:

“Miss Çalışkan, this is Harry Potter, Head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic. Mr. Potter, this is the Head of the Department of Magical Security at this ministry, Kezban Çalışkan.”

Mr. Harry Potter smiled friendly and stretched out his hand.

“Good afternoon, Madam,” he said.

“Um, good afternoon, Mr. Potter!” Kezban replied.

She sat down on the chair beside him, both of them facing Frothard.

“So, what do we have?” the minister asked.

“Same as before,” Kezban replied, “A Muggle-born, murdered with the Killing Curse and displayed on the floor of his home with candles laid around him in the shape of a skull with a snake for a tongue.”

She took out a folder from her bag and produced a photo of the known cases and displayed them on the desk.

“Is this method familiar to you, Mr. Potter?” Frothard inquired.

Mr. Potter shook his head.

“They’d always cast the Dark Mark above the houses of the victim to scare people. They never killed this ritually. Killing Muggles…was like fun to them. If this new group has really been inspired by Voldemort and his servants, it has to be some other aspect. Maybe we come closer to a clue if we look for common links between the victims. Was there anything significant at the place where they were found?”

“No, there wasn’t. The only common link is the heritage of the victims,” said Kezban, her voice slightly trembling for a moment.

“There has to be some connection to Tom Riddle,” the minister said, “Please try to find it quickly so that we can end this and focus on the Phoenix Movement.”

Kezban nodded and led Mr. Potter to the next level into the map room.

* * *

Now that autumn approached, Eva found that things were easier, comfortable even, as Nolwazi led her girlfriend into her parents' home for the nth time for coffee and cake and meeting Nolwazi’s maternal family:

Auntie Tanja, a woman of 39 years (5 years younger than Nolwazi’s mom Astrid), and her two children, a boy named Leon who was 14 years old and a girl called Laura who was 8 years old and her husband Stefan; her 70-year-old grandfather Anton who, like Nolwazi herself, was born in the United States but grew up in Germany; his wife Margot who was one year younger than him, and her parents Justus and Jutta who were 89 and 84 years old respectively.

Wizarding Germany had a less strict law of secrecy concerning family members and so Nolwazi’s relatives knew about her being a witch and also about Eva’s condition which Eva had felt brave enough to divulge since she had already told Astrid and Michael.

They talked about this and that: Leon’s and Laura’s school life, the great-grandparents’ remarks about all the modern technology in this house and its beeping sounds, Justus’s success in handling a smartphone of which he was very proud of. But also the latest political news, especially the Phoenix Movement and its success in Eastern Germany.

Later, the two girls found themselves alone in Nolwazi's tent.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet,” Eva said somewhat stiffly not looking directly at her girlfriend. Nolwazi nodded.

“I was getting that impression. You seemed unsure. Is it something serious?”

Eva tilted her head biting her lip.

“Just before you came to pick me up, there was this man…he seemed to know a lot about me…and you! He said that he could help me cure m-my…thing. And that he would be striving to create a better world. I think…”

She looked Nolwazi dead in the eye.

“…I think he’s the one you’ve been looking for: the one who raised the banner.”

Nolwazi stepped close to her girlfriend looking right through her. She saw his face. The blue eyes, the beard, the look on his face that spoke of conviction and assurance. It was the man from Ada’s memories. And he was calling out to her, to them. Nolwazi’s eyes narrowed as she was contemplating on what to do next. Abruptly, she turned heading for the potions lab. Eva followed her uncertainly.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Making preparations,” Nolwazi replied setting up a cauldron and gathering ingredients such as Wolfsbane and Moonstone. Looking at Eva, she grinned.

“We’re going on a journey!”

* * *

Mr. Potter had been pacing around the room for the last twenty minutes or so.

“There has to be something we can work with!” he murmured staring impatiently at the board with moving photos of the victims. Having a hunch, he turned to Madam Atubo who had been going through the records of the people with Kezban.

“Maybe it’s not so much the method rather than the motivation,” he said.

“The Muggle background?” Atubo asked.

“Not just that…” Kezban gasped having understood what Mr. Potter was going through.

“All from different places, all young, 17 to 20 years old…and all of them leaders in students protests!”

She looked up in horror at the other two. Mr. Potter frowned slightly but Madam Atubo understood.

“Kezban…” she said warningly. Kezban let the folder in her hands fall to the floor and ran out before Madam Atubo could stop her.

“Wait!...Damn!” Madam Atubo cursed and, with some difficulties, hurried as quickly as she could under her condition into her office and towards the fireplace. Throwing some powder into the fire, she bent down and called out:

“The Ministry of Magic in Kassel!”

* * *

Frothard looked at Nolwazi with wide eyes.

“An actual lead?” he asked.

“Yes, but I could be away for a while chasing it,” Nolwazi said with a poker face, “I will not be able to report in then.”

Frothard nodded.

“What kind of lead?”

Nolwazi sighed.

“I’m afraid I cannot say…people might be in danger otherwise.”

“I understand.”

Nolwazi turned around without another word and headed for the door. As she closed it, she found herself standing in front of Kezban who seemed to have waited outside of the minister’s office impatiently.

“What is it?” Nolwazi asked worried.

“You’ve got to help me! Those mysterious murders of Muggle-borns with the candles…they’re all leaders of student protests!”

“Işık!” Nolwazi gasped heading down the stairs with Kezban not noticing the elevator doors slide open to reveal Mathilda, Orzala and Adam making their way to the minister’s office.

“Come in,” Frothard called out and Mathilda literally stormed in.

“Sorry to disturb you, Minister, but I have some important news for you!”

“Please, calm down, Miss…Leitfried, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir,” Mathilda said. “I think I have an idea where the Phoenix Movement might be hiding.”

Frothgard stood up abruptly.

“Did you have a vision?” he asked. Mathilda nodded.

“But there is more: wherever Nolwazi goes now, she is in grave danger. It’s a trap, sir…”

Frothard stared at her as he listened…

* * *

Nolwazi and Kezban apparated directly onto Ragnuk Street in Frankfurt am Main. The sun was beginning to set and the wizarding street glowed in orange and red. Kezban ran ahead and Nolwazi followed. They stormed up the stairs of the apartment building to the highest floor when they heard something like a small _pop_ in the air. Kezban pulled out her wand and shot a curse at one of the three figures narrowly missing.

“Oi! We’ve got company!” one of them screamed. The other two turned around and aimed their wands. Nolwazi quickly grabbed Kezban’s hand and disapparated as the two Killing Curses raised through the air reappearing inside the apartment where Kezban’s younger brother fended off one of the third man who made a complicated movement with his wand and a small jolt went through the room. An Anti-Disapparition Jinx! The other two men had been storming into the room as well. It was three against three now. Nolwazi conjured up a fiery robe that began to encircle her opponent. But he transfigured it into a long green snake which slithered towards Nolwazi who effortlessly turned it into smoke while simultaneously used her left hand to throw a chair into their way blocking the Killing Curse that her opponent had fired which cause the chair to catch fire. Nolwazi let the burning chair crash towards her opponent who jumped out of the way. The wooden floor started to burn as well making the dueling space ever smaller. Then a short scream could be heard as Işık was thrown backwards. His wand beside him, he quickly made for it to stand his ground but before his hand had reached the wand, the green light had already hit him!

“NO!” Kezban screamed with wide eyes forgetting everything around her. But she could not reach her brother as thick robes tied her so that she fell hard onto the floor. The three men now turned to Nolwazi. One had conjured up a large shield to keep the fire at bay. Nolwazi quickly produced a shield charm blocking the three curses and fired one at the men nearest to her. He expertly blocked it while the second used those precious few seconds to disarmed Nolwazi catching her wand with a grin. Nolwazi rolled to the side to avoid another curse. Quickly facing her three opponents again, she stretched out her hand and caused a huge wardrobe to sail towards one man. He wasn’t quick enough to cast a spell and with a horrible scream he landed on the wall as the heavy wardrobe hit it hard. Blood slowly filled the space between the wall and the wardrobe. Nolwazi stretched out both her hands producing a shield that was hit by two mighty dark spells that were so powerful that they burst the shield apart causing Nolwazi to fly against the window hitting the window sill hard.

The two men slowly advanced onto her.

“Surprisingly clever, that Mudblood,” one of them murmured to the other as if Nolwazi was just an animal incapable of understanding them.

“Should we kill her?” the other asked.

“No,” the first one said, “Tie her up. We take them to the Master!”

As the second one nodded, the first one took out a small object from his robes that looked like a small wooden box. Pointing his wand directly to his chest, he grunted and moaned in pain until he let out a scream as something indescribable seemed to transfer itself from his chest to the box sealing it. Nolwazi stared at him in horror as the dark wizard proceeded to conjure up candles and placing them around Işık’s body. The other wizard grabbed Nolwazi and Kezban and held them close, both of them unable to resist.

“Let’s go!” the first dark wizard instructed as voices of oncoming Aurors could be heart through the broken window and the dark wizards and their prisoners disapparated.


	9. The Right to Lead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note this trigger warning for scenes of torture and implied, "off-screen" rape. If you wish to skip this portion (although you would then miss some of the plot), please start reading in the section that begins with: "The man was fully focused on inspecting the wands."

The sun had disappeared behind the horizon leaving only a narrow orange band of sunlight on the sky, alone among the dark black clouds that came ever closer. Nolwazi recognized the landscape as they were pushed through the snow, the first snow this fall, the harbinger of winter, here on the highest mountain of Northern Germany: the Brocken, also known as Mount Block. Beyond the edges of the mountain, a thick fog covered the horizon. It was freezing.

As they moved through the breeze, a couple of fires appeared in the distance and soon they were stepping through ruins of an old wizarding edifice, the seat of the Wizards' Council, the predecessor of the Ministry of Magic.

"Move!" one of the men grunted pushing the women forward. Nolwazi looked at Kezban who seemed to be shut off from the world letting herself push forward as if nothing else mattered anymore. Nolwazi could sense her closing herself off as grief overcame her. It burned inside her but she refused to show it. Her face was like stone letting no emotions flow out. This was the first time she had seen death. Nolwazi on her part prepared herself on what was about to come for she noticed a flag that was flapping in the wind: a black one with a green emblem, a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. Around a giant fire about thirty people were gathering together. As their captors approached the gathering, Nolwazi heard many cheers and the occasional whistling as the eyes behind the masked faces seized her and Kezban up in a way that made her shiver.

Separate from the group stood a tall, thin man, the only one not wearing a mask. His face was bone-white and distorted as if it had half-melted as if he was decomposing while still alive and his eyes looked blood-shot. He was severely balding with only spots of his brown hair remaining which looked as if they had been glued on afterwards. The two men who had brought them shoved Nolwazi and Kezban onto their knees.

"Bow to Dis Nocebo, Master of the Knights of Walpurgis!"

Dis Nocebo regarded the two women with an interest like someone pondering on how to best crush the insect at the window. He snipped with his skeletal fingers and an older man appeared with a fearful look on his face constantly bowing and not daring to look directly at Dis Nocebo's face. One of their captors passed their wands to the man who took them and inspected them before putting them on a wand-identifying instrument which looked like a set of scales with only one dish, first Nolwazi's wand:

"Beech, Phoenix feather core, 25.4 cm long."

He put the wand aside onto a table stacked with wands and put Kezban's wand onto the instrument.

"Ebony, Phoenix feather core, 35.65 cm long."

Dis Nocebo looked from the wand to Kezban and Nolwazi and Nolwazi stared right back at him sealing off her mind against his invasion. Dis Nocebo raised his hairless eyebrows.

"Intriguing..."

He crouched down in front of her.

"You know death...you have seen so much. Your eyes speak for yourself. I don't need to see your filthy mind..."

He rose up again and pulled out his own wand. Nolwazi's breath was increasing as she braced herself...

" _Crucio!_ "

Nolwazi felt as if she was on fire, sliced into pieces by a myriad of knives, it was so much that she almost didn't hear herself scream into the night and she rolled around on the ground as if she could escape it. She hammered her head onto the ground wishing for it to stop while determined to not break down and yet it was so much that she just prayed that it would end...but it went on until Nolwazi thought that she would burst apart – and then it was over.

Nolwazi lay there on the ground panting and with her eyes closed. And then she felt pain again, only this time it was only in her head as she felt him invading drifting into every edge of her mind, her defense crippled by the Cruciatus Curse. So focused on the one thought that she knew he would be searching for: to let it end, to kill her. She heard Dis Nocebo chuckle.

"Oh, Nolwazi Robinson...I will grand you that wish...after I had my pleasure! Lock her up. I want to find out more about the other one first."

Trembling, Nolwazi felt herself being lifted up into the air and pushed forward. Slowly, she opened her eyes again as she was brought to another area of this ancient place: a row of prison cages filled with men and women and even teenagers. Members of the Knights of Walpurgis routinely opened one cage door or the other and dragged a prisoner out of it. In the distance, horrifying screams could be heard mixed with moaning. Nolwazi closed her eyes again and seconds later she felt how she was being thrown onto the ground inside one of the cages.

"She looks lovely," Nolwazi heard a voice snarl, "shall we share her, huh?"

"Nah, this one is special; reserved for the master's pleasure," another one replied. "How about this one, he looks nice. And her."

Nolwazi opened one eye to find the cage being opened again and two people being dragged out of their cell screaming: "No! No! Please! Aahh! Don't!"

" _Silencio!_ " one of the Knights called and the screams immediately stopped.

"Hey, I like it when they cry," said the other one, "Turns me on so much."

The first one scoffed and proceeded to drag the prisoners off by their hair with their screams now unable to be heard. Nolwazi concentrated on her breathing. She had to gather herself together if she ever wanted her plan to work. She knew that something like this was coming from the moment she saw the flag with the Dark Mark. This was what the Death Eaters had been famous for, tormenting their victims for fun and these imitators were clearly inspired by their deeds. However, they seemed to have made their own spin on it since these ritualistic atmosphere hadn't been a thing of Tom Riddle's followers according to the historical reports and published works on the British Wizarding Wars.

The fire in front of the cage created just enough warmth to be able to stand the cold allowing the prisoners just enough life to be taken eventually. Nolwazi felt the cage open up again and a body falling down beside her. She was still breathing. Nolwazi could see Kezban's face only inches from her own. She was trembling and sobbing. Their bodies provided additional warmth with the prisoners being so close together. Nolwazi wondered whether it was more than just the fire that kept them warm and if some kind of spell had been cast to keep the prisoners from freezing to death. More screams filled the night and occasionally ritual chanting could be heard accompanied by one or two green flashes of light. The sun had now completely set and a waning moon hung in the sky innocently illuminating the mountain.

Nolwazi didn't know how long she must have laid here gathering her strength, one hour at least, perhaps one and a half. She felt strong enough now to try and do her first escape attempt: focusing, she moved her hands concentrating on the image of the ropes snapping or disappearing. And she felt the energy trying to do the work but the enchantments on the ropes were too mighty for her wandless magic to succeed. Nolwazi sighed and sat up with some difficulties to assess the area. At least one guard was always there patrolling the cages. They rotated occasionally and the one leaving was usually picking up a Muggle-born he liked to drag with him and do things Nolwazi didn't even dare to imagine. But the screams and them moans as well as the comments by the guards spoke volumes. Nolwazi bit her lips as the scale of her rescue plan began to dawn on her. She wouldn't be able to free all of those people on her own! But shouldn't she focus on escaping from the cage first? She looked down on Kezban still lying on the floor in a fetal position. The hopelessness of this place continuously became ever more drowning as Nolwazi found her mind to become clear again. It was then when she heard footsteps approaching and two Knights came out of the dark towards her cage. With a squeak the cage door opened and Nolwazi prepared for them grabbing her by the hair and dragging her away but they reached for Kezban instead. Nolwazi shivered when they were inches away from her and could only watched as they pulled Kezban upside down into the air and magically pushed her forward as if she were a chicken about to be slaughtered.

Nolwazi regarded the guard who was now alone again walking about occasionally looking through the cages. His mind was easy to invade even though the thoughts of it appalled her. Nolwazi didn't cease though and closed her eyes and prepared. She had only heard of this method so far and had never preformed it herself. She sighed, breathing out and took a deep breath...

It felt like lying on her back on the water. She felt his limbs as if they were hers and the pain it brought him sharing her mind with his. She forced him using the Silencing Charm on himself however and soon the cage door was open and the ropes that had tied her hands were loose. Nolwazi withdrew from his mind and before he could fully regain his consciousness, she had already placed a hand on his forehead making him collapse to the ground. The other prisoners barely noticed. Too weak to stand after weeks of being here with wounds that likely would stay for a very long time, they just focused on the fact that they were, at the moment, untouched.

Nolwazi crouched down and took his wand thinking the word _Obliviate_. She pondered whether she should transfigure him but decided against it. Closing the cage door, she pressed his wand back into his hand before transforming into a cat. Beyond the fire light the snow was towering up in her current form but she quickly hopped through it with her tiny paws. The old man who kept the prisoner's wands had set up his table a little off the main gathering place of the Knights of Walpurgis and was inspecting them. Nolwazi stopped and transformed back into a human.

* * *

The man was fully focused on inspecting the wands. Making sure that no one was around, Nolwazi moved her hand over her body and became invisible. With one swift hand gesture, she had silenced him and tied him up from neck to ankle. from the vast collection of wands Nolwazi selected her own light brown and Kezban's black one and crouched down behind a tree as about thirty of the Knights of Walpurgis gathered around the fire, two of them holding Kezban who looked like she could barely stand. The crowd bowed as Dis Nocebo appeared out of the dark, a reveal that was not nearly as terrifying as he no doubt hoped it to be. Nolwazi had heard and read tales and descriptions of Tom Riddle with his inhuman face with only slits for a nose, the horrible red, snake-like eyes and the body that so closely resembled a skeleton – this man just looked extremely ugly and disfigured. But at no moment had Nolwazi actually been frightened to death, not by his appearance. It was his deeds that were frightening.

"My Knights of Walpurgis," Dis Nocebo declared, "yet again it is time to come closer to the goal of the Dark Lord himself, the one who went further than anyone in discovering magic, the One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who! To shred himself of the crook that is death! A piece of filth shall be disposed of in doing so, to cut the bad branches of the tree that is wizardkind!"

Under the cheer of his underlings, Dis Nocebo stretched out his arms in a welcoming manner and drew his wand. Kezban numbly looked up, having nothing to lose anymore, welcoming death, the place beyond the veil where her brother would be waiting...

But not like this! As Nolwazi pointed her wand at Dis Nocebo himself to strike, she thought for a moment that she had seen someone peering out of the dark, a face as white as wax...and then she had appeared, jumped out of the shadow in an enormous leap and landed onto the leader of the Knights of Walpurgis bearing her fangs into his neck. The crowd of the Knights burst apart as panic rose among them. Nolwazi quickly made herself visible again and hurried to Kezban who, in the chaos, had been left to her own. Nolwazi helped her stand noting that, while she was hurt and weak, she was nonetheless eager to leap into action as well and at least able to stand on her own.

"Come on!" Nolwazi screamed to her as more Vampires appeared. One Knight fired a killing curse at a young male Vampire which merely threw him back two steps as if the Knight had violently thrown as basket ball at him. The Vampire looked down at his stomach where the curse had hit him and then, with a grin, back at the caster who backed off as the Vampire ran up to him with ease and speed lifting the wizard into the air by the throat, his feet dangling just a bit above the ground. A horrible crack could be heard and the man fell down onto the ground with his neck broken. Amidst the battling people, Nolwazi could also spot a goblin charging into the fight snipping his fingers and flickering a wand. Nolwazi led Kezban back to the prison cells and threw herself and Kezban to the ground when a curse narrowly missed her. Pointing her wand at whoever had cast the curse, Nolwazi prepared to fire back when the man was struck down by someone else. A wizard brown hair and a beard and blue eyes! She had seen him before! Not just in Ada Trorkunn's memories but had been standing right in front of him – way back when she had asked Muggles about the banner on the square in front of the shopping center.

Nolwazi had forgotten everything else, so mesmerized by the fact that he had been tailing her from the start, that he likely knew why she was truly out there...he noticed how she stared at him and smiled in a sly way as if he was congratulating her on solving the puzzle. Then more shouting could be heard, this time from the other end of the mountain. And Holger Wannemacher ordered his people to retreat after having taken care of the last of the Knights of Walpurgis. And as Nolwazi found the Aurors to run up the mountain, she noticed that Kezban once again dropped to the ground, all motivation gone from her. Nolwazi kneeled down beside her hugging her and comforting her. The one leading the Aurors had untidy black hair, glasses and a scar shaped like a lightning bolt...what was Harry Potter doing here?

"Get these people out, send them straight to Paracelsus Hospital!" he commanded. Nolwazi breathed heavily as she felt being pulled up to her feet and led away. A Thestral-drawn carriage was waiting for her, Kezban and the freed prisoners. Enormously larger on the inside, it was furnished with comfortable beds. Nolwazi sank into one of them closing her eyes listening to the noises around her...

* * *

...When she woke up again she found herself in a hospital bed next to Kezban who was clutching something close to her breast and was staring at the ceiling, a myriad of dried tears on her face. Nolwazi could feel her depression, her emptiness, her apathy. Looking around, she noticed that her bed was surrounded by visitors: Mathilda, her co-workers Orzala and Adam, Minister Frothard as well as Madam Atubo (who was holding a long walking staff) and Harry Potter.

"How are you feeling, Nolwazi?" Frothard asked gently calling her by her first name for the first time ever.

Nolwazi groaned as she sat up.

"I'm fine," she said quietly.

"Miss Leitfried helped us identify the site where this group was hiding," Frothard continued.

"The Knights of Walpurgis," Nolwazi explained, "that what they were calling themselves...and I think their aim was to create Horcruxes."

She looked up at Mr. Potter.

"That's why they have brought you here, sir, isn't it?" she asked him.

"You're absolutely right, Miss Robinson. And your assumption is correct as well. They had indeed created Horcruxes. But we have collected them. Someone seems to have collected them. The same people who fled the scene before we arrived."

"Who were they?" Madam Atubo asked Nolwazi who looked ahead determined not to convey any expression on her face.

"Members of the Phoenix movements...probably the inner circle...I've seen them before. I didn't realize it at the time, it was shortly before the banner was unveiled..."

She looked up at Frothard and Madam Atubo.

" _You_ should have been there! They did your work, they arrived before you did on their own. Why does it take so long with you? You should be ashamed!"

She suddenly threw back her blanket and attempted to get out of bed but Mathilda held her back.

"Nolwazi, what are you doing?"

"You should rest a bit more," Frothard added.

"I can't! I have to do this, now is the chance, before their trail is lost again."

"What trail, Miss Robinson?" Frothard asked holding her shoulder. Nowalzi looked at him and didn't reply. She stretched out her hand and her wand flew into it much to the surprise of her visitors apart from Mathilda. Nolwazi quickly walked out of the room and increased her speed until she ran. Frothard attempted to ran after her but to his surprise, Mathilda held him back.

"She'll lead us to them. I've seen her beside him. You have to wait. There will be a sign...a giant sign of some sort."

Frothard looked at her.

"I'd like you to report back to me whenever you have a vision concerning her or the movement."

Mathilda looked up at him stoically with a ever so slight frown.

"I might not be at the ministry when I have a vision. I cannot control that. It's remarkable that I can even remember them, most seers can't."

Frothard looked down and then back at Madam Atubo and Mr. Potter.

"Look out for any suspicious sign...and at anything involving giants."

He looked back at Mathilda before he moved to Kezban's bed.

"Miss Çalışkan?"

Kezban blinked but stared at the ceiling. Frothard sighed. He looked down at the thing that she held in her hands: it was a small medal, an award for a potion competition, first place for Işık Çalışkan. As the Federal Minister for Magic turned to leave, an owl flew into the room letting a letter fall towards him before swiftly turning and leaving again. Confused, Frothard caught the letter and opened it. His expression became even more negative as he was reading the lines. He looked up to Madam Atubo and Mr. Potter.

"It appears that the Council of Magic in Frankfurt has been attacked: a group calling itself the Purple Army has stormed the halls and have killed the consul...in retaliation for the murder of Miss Çalışkan's brother."

With one last look at Kezban, he left the room followed by Madam Atubo and Mr. Potter.

* * *

Nolwazi apparated straight into her room. Grabbing her rucksack, she quickly pointed her wand at the tent which folded itself up and sank into the rucksack's opening. Nolwazi took one final look at her room before disapparating again reappearing at the Chang residence. She gazed at the grand estate. Taking a deep breath, Nolwazi knocked at the door.

The House-elf Shunzan opened it looking delighted and relieved:

"Miss Robinson, you're well! We heard the most terrible of news, please, follow Shunzan to Miss Eva's room. She has been waiting for you all day," she said. Nolwazi followed the elf through the residence to Eva's room where she found her girlfriend sitting on the bed clutching a pillow to her chest. She beamed when she saw who had arrived.

"Nolwazi!" she cried throwing the pillow aside and running towards her. Both women hugged deeply before they kissed passionately.

"I'm sorry you had to wait, I was...held off for a while." Nolwazi said.

"Are we going on that journey?" Eva asked excitingly.

Nolwazi nodded.

"Did you pack anything?"

"It's all there," Eva said pointing to a trunk beside her bed. Nolwazi shrank the trunk so it fitted into her rucksack.

"After you," she said to which Eva giggled and led the way into the courtyard.

"Eva!" they heard a sharp voice and out of the northern main building came Mr. Chang in glamorous yellow robes.

"Where are you going?" he demanded to know.

"We're leaving for a few days," Eva said in a determined voice directly facing her father. Nolwazi could sense that it took her quite some courage to challenge her adoptive father like that.

"You didn't tell me you're leaving."

"Because it's not your decision to make, father! I am a grown woman now, I am capable of navigating the outside world on my own and I am not alone."

She briefly looked over her shoulder at Nolwazi.

"I know what you're planning," Mr. Chang said looking at both women in outraged disappointment, "The promises of this group cannot be trusted. Didn't you think I wouldn't inform myself about you, Miss Robinson? I thought you would've kept a clear head but it seems I was mistaken."

He took a couple of steps down and looked Eva in the eye.

"It's not that I don't understand where your desire comes from, my dear. I know that our world is not as it should be, I believe that hiding ourselves is wrong. But this isn't the right way. I had hoped for anything but this from you two!"

He sighed and looked at Nolwazi.

"Take good care of her," he said quietly.

Nolwazi, who had gulped at his speech nodded with a serious expression.

"We look out for each other," she said. She hadn't expected him to give in so quickly. But perhaps he actually hadn't after all. Holding each other's hands, Nolwazi and Eva proceeded to the main gate of the residence and vanished into thin air after crossing the threshold.

Mr. Chang stared after them.

"Look after them," he ordered Shunzan, "Protect them."

The House-elf nodded and disapparated on the spot.

* * *

The local Aurors in Frankfurt had had a hard time fighting the so-called Purple Army who had eventually retreated albeit losing a few members to the Aurors. When Frothard arrived, the successor of the magical consul had already spoken to the Minister for Magic of Hesse-Kassel who had instantly decided to make the capture of this violent group his top priority. Frothard had also spoken with him and had seen to make this a nation-wide priority. Back at his office, the Federal Minister for Magic put his face in his hands letting out a long sigh. This damn banner incident had truly unleashed chaos into his wizarding community and was now also affecting the Muggle world with such ingenious ways that it technically wasn't even illegal since they hadn't produced evidence of breaches of secrecy by resorting to Muggle methods! Whoever was leading this Phoenix Movement had a lot of wit and clearly knew how to evade the wizarding authorities.

Frothard poured himself a drink. It was past midnight. Another bloody day without sleep! For a moment, the minister painted himself a picture in which he was resigning and enjoying his evenings on the veranda of his villa staring out into the sunset over the lake...

But his brief dreams were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes, come in," Frothard almost shouted still with his eyes closed and his forehead resting on his desk.

Madam Atubo entered along with Mr. Potter.

"What is it now?" Frothard asked almost annoyed.

Madam Atubo cleared her throat and replied:

"It is as Miss Leitfried has foreseen, Minister: Giants, sir. They have coming down the mountains in the state of Baden. A Muggle highway has been destroyed as well as a dozen fields and forests. The trail leads to Kandel Mountain."


	10. Change Alone Endures

Frothard urgently stepped into the map room where Madam Atubo and Mr. Potter had been waiting for him to prepare their next operation.

"I'm heading off to the Ministry of Magic of Baden to assess the damage," the Federal Minister explained, "I want you to deploy a squad of Aurors to engage on Mount Kandel. We don't know what awaits us there so we need as many Aurors as possible."

"Understood, sir," Atubo nodded.

As Frothard moved to leave, he turned back one more time.

"And keep searching for Miss Robinson. I've received information that she and her partner have set out to make contact with the Phoenix Leader. Alert every ministry. I want her and her girlfriend out of the operation...detain her if you have to."

* * *

The first red stripes of the new dawn were slowly moving across the horizon. Nolwazi and Eva hurryingly walked across Magnusplatz, the wizarding side of Munich with its round square that showed a moving statue of Albertus Magnus. It was here that the Bavarian Ministry of Magic was located. Nolwazi was just speaking with a Mr. Reischer using her identity card which showed her position as the Federal Minister's personal advisor.

"The reports are only hours old, I'm sure, that Mr. Frothard has already been informed," Mr. Reischer told her.

"He asked me to investigate this Phoenix Movement personally. I believe that that's where the movement is hiding," Nolwazi replied.

"In that case it would be wise to send Aurors," Reischer argued.

"No, we have to know exactly what they are able to do, Aurors will only scare them further into hiding...."

She turned sensing urgency from an approaching Ministry official heading towards her and Eva.

"I have to go, excuse me," Nolwazi said to Mr. Reischer as the official who was now joined by two security guard drew his wand.

"Nolwazi Robinson, you are to remain at this ministry until further notice..."

"Keep walking," Nolwazi whispered to Eva.

"...as per orders of the Federal Minister for Magic himself!" the official finished his statement.

Nolwazi snapped her fingers casually causing a bunch of folders to be blown all over the floor holding up the official and the guards. Employees looked confused at the scene unfolding as Nolwazi and Eva quickly walked across the splendid entrance hall of the Bavarian Ministry for Magic. They had all the information they needed now. An Incarcerous Spell missed them slightly and the robes instead slithered around a column.

"They must have started an operation to catch the Phoenix members," Nolwazi guessed, "We have to make it there before the Aurors."

Taking her girlfriend's hand, Nolwazi disapparated as soon as she crossed the ministry's premises.

* * *

The heavy fog blew gently over the valley between the two mountain ranges, one of which was the Kandel. Between them, signs of enormous destruction could be seen leading into the Black Forest surrounding Mount Kandel. Eva and Nolwazi stood inside one of the gigantic trenches left by one of the giants gazing up towards the mountain in front of them tinted with tiny little dots of orange lights.

"Why would he create such an obvious trail to his hiding place?" Eva wondered frowning.

"It's an offer," Nolwazi realized, "to all the people who are still looked down upon...Muggles, Werewolves, Vampires, goblins, all sorts of beings and creatures...a chance to find save haven. That's what the people in Kauwind were creating as well...rebuilding, giving people something to do, gibe them hope again. And in doing so assemble a mass for the revolution along the way. And the best come to him...with all those abilities and skills the Pure-bloods renounce and ignore because they see themselves as the most powerful."

She looked towards Eva.

"Come on, let's get closer."

* * *

The forest was denser here and all the more magical: Wiggentrees and Bubotubers moved slightly in the wind and a couple of orange Streelers slithered about. As they reached a clearing high upon the mountain, they heard hooves accompanying them and soon enough found themselves in the company of Centaurs galloping alongside them towards the ruins ahead. Much of the buildings had been crumbled or had only a corner or a wall remaining. Many had statues carved in them. But one large hall was largely intact. And it seemed to be occupied by a huge number of people, humans and magical beings alike. Some had already been gathering outside before they arrived: the Centaurs who had been watching their arrival led by a female Centaur very familiar to Nolwazi; the seafaring goblins who had captured the magnificent ship, the _Gornok_ now resting on the surface of a nearby lake; there were a group of five Vampires sitting around a fire with a barrel of blood next to them; Muggles and Squibs were also present as well as Muggle-borns, a hag, even a few ghosts were here. As well as the two Giants who sat a little outside of the ruins gazing in the direction Nolwazi and Eva had come from guarding the place. All people hoping for a better life, for acceptance, for change...

The two women heard murmurs arise as they stopped in the courtyard of the former castle gazing at Eva's face with her oh so different eyes. Nolwazi's gaze caught Toxoneia staring at her with a grim expression that made her gulp. Would they be welcomed? Or would the Centauride deem her too untrustworthy for having worked with the Federal Ministry of Magic? The murmur stopped as three people came out of the large building: an older man with very balding grey hair whose eyes were nebulous and who checked the ground before him with a large staff (Nolwazi felt something of a slight jolt in her mind and she realized he was using legilimency on her with ease learning everything about her in mere seconds!), a woman with brown hair and vivid green eyes who looked very similar to the third one, a man with brown hair, a beard and piercing blue eyes: Holger Wannemacher.

The old man whispered something to Wannemacher and he smiled to himself before resting his eyes on the women in front of him.

"Welcome," he said, "to our refuge. I have awaited your coming, Nolwazi...Eva. The seasoned traveler...and the Muggle girl so forcefully thrown into our world..."

He stepped forward and took Eva's hand, his head bowed down.

"I am so sorry of what was taken from you, my dear...so much pain and uncertainty...a feeling of not-belonging. You want it gone, I can feel that a mile away. It kept you from moving about as you pleased...you feel that it disfigured you..."

He looked at her again and smiled.

"My dear Eva...you look beautiful. Look at the lady beside you...she saw your true self right from the start and loved you instantly for it from the start...you don't have to be ashamed of yourself. Surely not in the world that we aim to create."

Eva looked up at him.

"Is it true, then? That you've found a way to cure lycanthropy?"

Wannemacher nodded.

"It is made possible by a radical new discovery, something the Muggles call CRISPR. Able to heal any illness or defect imaginable, far more powerful than any magic known to us. We will acquire CRISPR and heal anyone who wished to be healed. There will not be any distinction between wizards and Muggles, humans and magical beings. A society without classes, an equal society. It'll be a new world! But the way towards it is hard..."

Wannemacher turned to Nolwazi.

"That's why we need wisdom...experience."

Nolwazi looked at him, at his piercing blue eyes that somehow made her trust him. They spoke of certainty and confidence.

"We have been preparing for departure," Holger explained. "We called out to anyone needing refuge, change, freedom...here, at the ruins of the school led by the dark witch Gfällrote...a risk that was worth exposing our hideout. Now we are in need of a new one."

He looked to the many people who had sought refuge here.

"It'll be only a matter of hours, maybe minutes before the Aurors come here. Captain Arguk," he addressed one of the goblins, "have all our belongings arrive at your ship. All those able to defend us, take your positions! We need to get those without magic to board first safely. If the Aurors catch us, they will be merciless. We are everything they fear! They could be here any time now."

He turned to the two new arrivals,

"Please come with me."

Nolwazi and Eva followed Holger who was heading straight for the ship. Although the ship itself was pretty large, it was nothing compared to the interior of it which looked like the inside of a splendid manor! It had more decks than could possibly be filling the outer shape of it clearly having been enlarged on the inside. Holger led them to a grand room close to the stairs leading on deck.

"Do you have healing experience, Nolwazi?" Holger asked her.

"Not professionally but I learned much of magical healing during my travels."

"Perfect, we're likely to need these skills. Put up your tent here and prepare for injuries."

Nolwazi nodded and opened her rucksack to summon up her tent.

"Eva, you'll be in charge of those who cannot perform magic. They'll be the first to board."

Eva nodded as Holger went back upstairs. As the goblin crew went about to prepare the ship for sailing off, Nolwazi conjured up a table on which she placed her potions equipment and medical chest checking which potions needed replenishing. She had just finished brewing a new amount of Skele-Gro when she and Eva saw a flashing light through the windows. Heading on deck, Nolwazi saw that, in the distance, a large amount of people had apparated next to the ruins. She pulled out some omnioculars and zoomed in on the two people leading army of Aurors: Madam Atubo and Harry Potter himself!

"This is it, then," Nolwazi murmured gulping again. She were indeed afraid. It was not the fact that she was a refugee, fleeing from wizarding authorities was familiar to her, it was the fact that it was this particular wizarding government. Fleeing from people she knew.

* * *

Holger moved to the assembled Centaurs, Vampires and witches and wizards as well as the two Giants who had stood up, eight meters tall. Holger made a gesture and the Giants marched towards the Aurors who quickly disapparated and reappeared, split up and many of them busy fending off the Giants. Holger pointed his wand at a couple of Bubotubers giving them root-like legs. They walked up lining up in front of the defenders and, as the Aurors came closer, unleashed their amount of pus at them. The Aurors backed off as to not have their skin be injured by them and the witches and wizards aimed at them sending of Impediment Jinxes and Incarcerous Spells, Stunning Spells and more.

"Felix, you're with the Squibs and Muggles," Holger told the blind old wizard and he nodded apparating next to those without magic and using his magical staff to fend off a couple of Aurors who had managed to break through the defenses using his legilimency to locate them. Nolwazi had her wand drawn and shot a couple of Stunning Spells at them. The Aurors had broken through the defense as Holger and his inner circle retreated along with the Centaurs and Vampires the former carrying injured witches and wizards on their back. One Centaur was hit by a spell and fell to the ground. Madam Atubo made for the ship briefly dueling Holger as he animated one of the statues to come to his aid. Nolwazi used the distraction of Madam Atubo to fire a Stunning Spell at her which she blocked expertly. Under a blaze of spells and curses, most of the magical creatures who had helped defending the ship were coming aboard. The ship was already heading off as Holger leapt across the shore being the last person to board getting hold of the wall of the ship and climbing aboard. The Aurors continued to fire spells at them as everyone hurried under deck. Captain Arguk marched through the ship shouting orders at his men as the goblin vessel began to dive under the surface...

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen," Frothard said in front of the journalists including Cho Chang who had gathered in the foyer of the Federal Ministry of Magic,

"We live in a time of great change: four months ago, the radical organization known as the Phoenix Movement had raised a banner in the middle of a Muggle public building to rally witches and wizards to violently claim the power over this country, over both the magical and non-magical governments. They have manipulated magical creatures to turn against us and have even managed to infiltrate the Muggle political sphere posing as a party that will bring about a better world. They are a serious threat to both our communities..."

* * *

Nolwazi looked out of the window into the dark murky water as the Gornok moved into a new era. Now the true work of the Phoenix Movement would begin. And Nolwazi had joined them unaware of what was to come...

* * *

"...Their call has caused other magical factions to commit violent attacks on Muggles and witches and wizards alike..."

* * *

Kezban walked along the Muggle street having chosen not to apparate but to walk...just to walk...there was nothing...nothing to do, nothing to feel...she had nothing left...except revenge...

* * *

"...I have therefore decided to alert the International Confederation of Wizards to show constant vigilance and to do everything in their power to capture this radical group. If necessary we will also inform the Muggle authorities so that the Phoenix Movement will have no means of escaping. The key members of this group have been identified and a list will be sent out to every magical government. Every written pieces that have a connection to the Phoenix Movement's ideology will be made illegal..."

* * *

Mathilda gazed at the large wanted posters that had been placed all over Staffstraße showing the members of the Phoenix Movement that had been identified including a young man named Holger Wannemacher, several members of the Vampire House of Rodtant, a goblin, an older wizard and Nolwazi as well as her girlfriend, the Muggle girl Eva Reinecke. Mathilda watched the moving picture of Nolwazi looking at the camera in a somewhat cheeky way as though she was just about to make a joke of start flirting. She managed to do so even with that serious look of hers on this photo. Would they ever meet again? She realized that they were now possibly enemies and that she was maybe pressured to help the Aurors as her former best friend...

* * *

"...In light of these recent events, the Auror Offices of the entire country will receive additional powers in order to quickly restore the peace and prevent further breach of the Statute of Secrecy, our most sacred law for 300 years. The breaking of that statute as well as sedition will have no place in our society. Nor will we allow them to disrupt the lives of our non-magical brothers and sisters. Now more than ever, we must ensure that the peace that was made with the Muggles a little over three centuries ago will remain intact!"

* * *

Eva approached Nolwazi from behind and embraced her. Nolwazi turned her head away from the window and smiled kissing her girlfriend passionately.

"We made it, eh?" Eva whispered, "Now we're free."

Nolwazi looked from Eva's lips to her eyes and back to her lips again before mumbling:

"Yeah...free..."

She did feel something of an excitement being here...travelling again, being out in the world towards an unknown location...and a whole new world now that she had left the old one behind, the one with hiccupping toasters, vomiting coffee machines and sneezing soap dispensers...the old life with Kezban solving cases of rather harmless Muggle baiting, of writing reports, of repairing stuff and wiping memories...now her life had become so much more...she had traveled the world once, with Mathilda, freshly out of school, eager to explore the wider wizarding world, discovering new kinds of magic, meeting new people with their fascinating cultures...and find out about their ties to the non-magical world. Ties that were now being challenged or even broken. The world was changing...and Nolwazi was about to ride that change...


	11. The Riddle of History

The mansion lay just outside of Bangkok, enforced with powerful enchantments, protected from Muggles and invisible to them. The large hall where the celebrations were occurring had a splendid design that showed the wealth of the Suaiwetmon family.

Patthama, the daughter and only child of Sakchai Suaiwetmon and his wife Cécile Tremblay, was walking slowly through the crowd of Pure-blood witches and wizards hailing not just from Thailand but from other Asian countries as well. Members from important lines had come to celebrate her father’s birthday chatting about the changing times with “Mudbloods” and “Blood-traitors” taking over the world seeking alliances with Muggles.

She was not feeling well. But she forced herself to smile whenever someone greeted her or attempted to chat with her.

“Patthama, how good to see you again!” Phot Panchangkaysitwanit called out approaching her together with a younger wizard.

“Likewise, Minister,” Patthama replied smiling bowing before him.

“Last time I saw you, you were only five years old. How much you’ve grown! Your mother tells me that you’ve attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic…”

Patthama nodded.

“That’s right.”

“An interesting choice,” the young man beside the minister mused. Minister Panchangkaysitwanit smiled.

“May I introduce Chatchai Tangthiprueksa, our new Auror-General at the Thai Ministry of Magic?”

“ _Sawatdi kha!_ ”

“ _Sawatdi khrap,_ ” he responded.

“Why do you deem my choice of education interesting, Mr. Auror-General?” Patthama asked.

“Well…it is well known that Beauxbatons admits Mudbloods and Veela filth onto its grounds. You could have avoided such company had you learned your abilities in our country.”

“Well, they didn’t exactly force us to keep contact with witches and wizards of Muggle or Veela origin, did they?” Patthama retorted.

She sighed, then cleared her throat.

“If you will excuse me, I must meet a very old friend of mine. Minister, Auror-General…”

She bowed before them and they followed the gesture. Feeling more miserable than ever now, Patthama made for one of the corridors of the mansion while subtly gesturing to the young woman she had spotted earlier to join her. While she waited for her friend to approach her, her thought drifted to the last few days she had spent in the city of Bangkok…the parks, the streets…the Muggle area! And the handsome young Muggle man who had been dating her, the secret they both shared, a secret that her parents could never discover! Sunthon Chaidi, that was his name. He wasn’t rich, he wasn’t arrogant or looking down on others…he was honest and nice. He valued her as a person, not for what she could do, her wonders as he had called her magic. All those nice, simple moments…they could never continue. They both knew that. It was too risky, particular at times like these. He had even agreed that she would wipe his memory of her. But she hadn’t been able to. She wanted him to remember those short little moments together. And so they had just departed. They would cherish the time they had had together!

“You don’t want to be here either, eh, Patthama?” Nichaphat guessed smiling a sad smile as she joined her friend in the corridor. Patthama sighed and looked at her. Nichaphat was part of the highly influential Sirangsongkhun family who were famous for having multiple Seers as their ancestors.

“I’m not sure how long I can stand this, Nichaphat. For a few days I felt so free! I was with someone I actually chose to be with…it was like being back at Beauxbatons where everything was possible! No boundaries; no silly blood status…why have we been born into those families?”

Nichaphat tilted her head.

“Was he nice?” she whispered. Patthama smiled.

“He was exactly how I wanted my partner to be! They should be honest and open and trustful. Look around! They all have their secrets here…”

“Well, so do you.” Nichaphat pointed out grinning cheekily. Patthama chuckled.

“That’s different! I don’t want to have the need of having secrets. I want a world where I can be honest about who I love and openly show who I chose...”

She looked ahead.

“And I’m not going to have that while I’m with my parents, not here and not in France either! They will not let go until I’ve married some ugly Pure-blood who will only marry me for the family lines.”

She looked back into the hall.

“We should go back. Father will be holding his speech soon.”

* * *

Paris! City of Revolutions; Covered in November snow, the French capital was nonetheless bustling with life as it always had done. Nolwazi had to confess, however, that she’d rather visit the city in summer as she had done the last time. The atmosphere though had vastly changed if you were a witch or a wizard…or any magical being, frankly. In light of the banner that the Phoenix Movement had raised in Germany and thus called for the revolution, the French Ministry of Magic had increased security within the capital. Aurors had been stationed in the Rue des Balais and especially in the area around the French Ministry of Magic and the headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Thus, those who sympathised with the Phoenix Movement (calling themselves _La Ligue des Phénixistes_ ) were to meet in the Café de la Régence at Boulevard Saint-Germain. It was a very formal-styled place, founded in the 19th century, and had been the meeting place of many intellectuals since its foundation. The owners of the cafés had been persuaded by one of the French leaders of the sympathisers, a Veela named Zéphyrine Accambray. Those at the doors were acting as guards sitting at the nearest tables of the entrance, always on the lookout for police or Aurors.

Nolwazi stood with her back to the counter watching the witches and wizards who had come here, the Vampires and the Goblins and the Veelas. Her face lid up as she saw Eva engaging in a conversation with Zéphyrine who drew quite some gazes onto her by many men and some of the women including Eva and Nolwazi. But it was the fact that her girlfriend seemed to have come out of her shell ever since they had left Germany that filled Nolwazi with joy.

“She’s thawing up,” Holger observed joining her regarding Eva as well.

“I’ve never seen her so full of life until now,” Nolwazi mused smiling.

“She’s free,” Holger said. “But not as free as she could be, as we all could be! And we can’t remain here for long; we need to find something safer.”

They both turned facing the counter.

“Well,” said Nolwazi, “we have a ship that can jump to any point in the world. Any place where there’s water at least.”

“Not all of us are comfortable with it. Some of the centaurs are getting sea-sick. And they don’t want to remain with us, they want to take back their forest. We need an actual base, something near Paris…”

Nolwazi looked towards Holger.

“How did you come to know Zéphyrine?”

“Through a mutual friend,” Holger merely replied. “Veela…” he muttered gazing at Zéphyrine almost as if he was lost in thought.

“One of the most enigmatic magical beings in the world…heck, we know more about Centaurs and those happily want to avoid humans for life! But Veelas have managed to live even more mysterious lives and no one questions it. Well, most don’t want to question anything anymore once they come near the presence of Veela…there are a lot of rumors out there…that they are masters over fire, guardians of nature, owners of the night and that their hair and fluids have incredible powers…maybe, if we’re lucky, can get to see if any of them are true.”

Nolwazi too watched the beautiful woman for a while admiring her form, her face. She felt the desire to cling to her, to be with her for all eternity. With effort, she turned towards Holger again.

“Why did you want me to join? You’ve accepted a dozen people into your movement, why me?”

He looked at her.

“Your experience.”

Nolwazi scoffed.

“There are many other that are way more experienced than me…Bill Weasley, Kezban Çalışkan, Sulwe Oyange and Raphael Prewett, Julia Kennedy, Andrew Abbott…or Zéphyrine over there…”

Holger shook his head.

“They’re not more experienced, they’re just older than you. Experience isn’t necessarily related to age. Everyone makes their own unique experience. Julia Kennedy and Andrew Abbott are focussing their effort strictly to the Unites States and they’re not interested in working with us. And sure, Sulwe and Raphael have travelled the world like you did but they restricted their exploration on ancient magic and the mystic realms. You collected so much more! You researched on the relationship between wizards and Muggles, worldwide at that, you studied different wizarding societies, their magic, healing practices, history, culture…you compiled an entire library on wizard and Muggle society around the world, you know how they tick! Which helps us in planning the change, the revolution.”

He shot her a penetrative look before moving to one of the larger tables to gather the crowd.

“My friends! Thank you for coming here in such great numbers. We have come here today for the time to act has finally arrived! For the last five months we have prepared for this next step, a step closer to put an end to the division that has haunted us for nearly 400 years!”

Shouts of “Yeah!” could be heard and some were clapping their hands together in applause. Zéphyrine joined Holger continuing his speech:

“For nearly 400 years, the Statute of Secrecy has divided our world…and look what it has done to us! A surge in Pure-blood supremacy thinking, dozens of innocent Muggle minds being wiped for stumbling onto our secret, the repression of magical creatures and beings, numerous wizarding wars and an uncontrollable increase in the deadliest weapons ever crafted! The fact is that the Statute of Secrecy has merely postponed a war between our two worlds, not prevented it. It may even have made it worse.”

More agreeing shouts came from the people listening.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Holger addressed them passionately, “what we need is a collective of willing people, wizards, Squibs and Muggles, humans and magical beings alike, ready to fight and steer the world into a prosperous future, a future undivided, undamaged by war and human-caused disasters! A society without classes, without separations into blood status or species or magical and Muggle!”

The crowd practically exploded. Nolwazi could sense their passion, their readiness to set about this radical change.

* * *

Her apartment lay in the Quartier Latin and, as Zéphyrine found out, her special someone was already waiting for her when she arrived.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting, _ma chérie_ ,” she grinned as she kissed Patthama and their tongues met. The French-Thai witch hugged the Veela deeply and they remained like that for a few seconds before going inside into the warmth not noticing the figure peeking around the corner watching them intently…

Patthama and Zéphyrine found a quick solution to warming themselves up and that involved them being naked on the bed entangled, exchanging arousing moans between kisses, suckling and licking. They tasted each other finding the best snack between each other’s legs!

“At some point, you won’t be able to hide this from your parents, you know?” Zéphyrine whispered as she stroked her girlfriend’s cheek while the lay in bed.

Patthama sighed nibbling at the Veela’s breasts which had a very entrancing odour unable to resist.

“I know…” she said.

She looked down and then up into Zéphyrine’s eyes again.

“Will you come away with me?” she asked, her voice filled with hope.

She leaned up onto one arm.

“Just the two of us…we could go anywhere, so far away that they won’t find us! Just make something here into a Portkey, we could go right now!”

“Without our clothes on or without our wands for that matter?” Zéphyrine reminded her grinning cheekily. Patthama laughed. Zéphyrine looked at her, her eyes filled with thoughts about the future.

“I have a better idea. I’m working on a plan. If that succeeds…we will never have to fear your parents again! In fact, we could be together openly and no one would care!”

Patthama chuckled with a hint of doubt mixed within it.

“Will you ever tell me about this mysterious plan of yours?”

“Oh, very soon, baby. But there is just some work to do before that.”

Zéphyrine rolled her tongue inside her mouth staring at the ceiling before getting up.

“Speaking of which, I have to go…work to do.”

She kissed Patthama one last time from her lips to her breasts and got out of the bed entirely. Patthama watched her getting dressed and leaving the apartment. Taking her time to dress herself, she disapparated straight out of the room, just before the figure who had watched them entered the room with his wand raised. After having inspected every room, he left again locking the door.

* * *

The _Gornuk_ was resting on the Lac Pavin in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Central France. The lake, which was partly frozen, lay inside a crater on which a grand forest grew now covered in deep snow. Thankfully, the interior of the goblin ship was not only large enough to accommodate all the Phoenix members who had fled Kandel Mountain but also offered a good warmth throughout the ship, a warmth of magical quality only to be found on goblin ships. With Nolwazi’s help, they had even managed to create a temporal forest-like area for the Centaurs who had been impressed by the young witch’s gifts. Nolwazi even had the inkling that Toxoneia, the leader of the Centaurs who had fought in the fight against the Muggle police in Neheim Forest, was even a little friendly to her since then.

As for Nolwazi and Eva themselves, they had their tent erected in a portion of the ship close to Holger’s cabin. He had explicitly wished for them to remain close to him. He had loved the interior of their tent and especially the library and filing cabinets with loads of information on different wizarding societies and their connection with the Muggle world. And a ton of historical material. Right now though, Nolwazi and Eva were spending time with tending to the magical plants in the great greenhouse in the back of the tent. Almost a whole entity in itself, it boasted an impressive size with magical plants and fungi from all over the world, from the Americas to Asia, from Greenland to Antarctica.

Nolwazi was just extracting some Bubotuber Pus when she noticed a figure entering the greenhouse.

“Holger wasn’t lying…it is quite impressive.”

Nolwazi looked up to find Felix Winterberg standing before her, his nebulous eyes wandering all over the greenhouse. He smiled.

“You’re wondering how I can tell, don’t you? I can sense the life oozing from these plants. They may not be as intelligent as we are but they nonetheless have a vital energy in them. And I can see the layout in your mind…forgive me my intrusion, Miss Robinson, but I have gotten used to it for as long as I can think.”

“I had thought of something of that kind,” Nolwazi replied wandering up to him. He slightly raised his head as he sensed her approaching. He turned his head and looked around taking in the smells and the noises that filled the greenhouse. Sighing, he turned his attention back to Nolwazi.

“As someone who has travelled extensively, I wanted to ask you something…”

He sighed anew as if the burden of the question was almost too heavy to let out.

“Do you believe that we can reunite? Wizards and Muggles, I mean.”

Nolwazi lay the bowls with the Bubotuber Pus aside and chewed on her lips for a bit before answering.

“I couldn’t possibly tell you. The situation is far more complex than the wizarding leaders want us to believe. There are places out there where the Statute of Secrecy is simply a concept on paper. Whole societies, usually cut off from what we call civilization, practise a lifestyle in which witches and wizards are a normal part of life…some Daoist communities, many Native Americans, wizarding Maroon cultures, cultures in East and South East Asia, the Khoisan...there are also some uncontacted tribes in the Amazon – well, some of them have contact with witches and wizards from the Brazilian Ministry of Magic or from Castelobruxo – who all live together, magical or not. To many of these cultures, the concept of separation would be deemed laughable, unnatural even…”

She played around with the fallen leaves of another plant.

“We can learn a great deal from them. Knowledge and even magical abilities that the Western wizarding world deems as theoretical or impossible! But we’ve merely lost them, largely because we’ve come to rely on wands and words rather than thoughts, intentions and body parts. Trained Daoist and Buddhist wizards who spend their life studying the mysteries of magic are able to use almost any body part to produce what we would call non-verbal spells. They, along with many indigenous wizards, have a feeling for the flow of magic in the elements. The best of them can feel the very fabric of the universe even!”

She looked at him.

“I believe you acquired some of those abilities throughout your life, Felix.”

He nodded slowly.

“Your knowledge might indeed help us in forming a new society. One of cooperation, not competition, of unity, not separation! We need such a world before this one sinks into chaos. The ministries and councils certainly won’t accomplish that…”

They looked up as a booming voice called them:

“Nolwazi! Eva! …Ah, Felix, I’ve been looking for you, you’ll be coming too!”

Holger had come into the greenhouse.

“Where?” Felix asked.

“Back to Paris. Toxoneia has seen something troubling in the sage fire. Something will cause a setback and a gain at the same time.”

Nolwazi and Felix looked at each other and Eva who had come to them at Holger’s cries let everything she held fall to the ground ready to move out…

* * *

Zéphyrine loved going about by metro train. Even though she could have easily apparated to the entrance of the French Ministry of Magic, she took the Muggle way, watching people come and go, sitting together chatting, reading or listening to what she presumed was music on their little devices. At _Saint-Germain-des-Prés_ Station she got off the train swiftly moving through the flock of people smiling at the many looks she got from guys and the occasional girls until she reached a certain corridor where she took a quick turn to find herself in a magical part of the station inaccessible to Muggles. Moving through the dimly lit tunnel, Zéphyrine emerged in the _Rue des Balais_.

The _Jardin de Trefle-Piqu_ es looked as great as ever, covered in snow. The only thing that Zéphyrine noticed almost immediately was the greater presence of Hit-Wizards and Aurors patrolling and standing guard at various entrances belonging either to the French Ministry of Magic or the International Confederation of Wizards HQ. As she walked towards the main building of the ministry, she saw Harry Potter marching in the opposite direction towards the ICW HQ with a couple of Aurors in tow.

“Ma’am,” he greeted her and she nodded back walking past the statues of Pierre Bonaccord and Vincent Duc de Trefle-Piques. The guards already knew her and even opened the door for her. From here on, the role of security fell to the enigmatic Matagots and the mysterious witch known only as Mélusine, guardian of the salle des archives, the Records Room where all ministry-related information were kept since 1692.

But Zéphyrine’s destination was not the Records Room but the office of the French Minister for Magic himself. The architecture of the floor where the minister’s office lay reminded her of the grandeur of Versailles or the Élysée Palace. He was already waiting for her.

“Zéphyrine, come on in! _Ça va bien?_ ”

“Better than well, if we’re lucky, things may speed up more quickly than we anticipated,” she replied sitting down on a sofa next to him. Rémi Auclair was of the same age as she was; a handsome young man and an outstanding orator.

“Don’t underestimate the delegates of the ICW. I’m practically a prisoner in my own castle with them right at my doorstep,” he lamented raising his wand to fill the two cups of coffee for them. He looked at her in a serious way that she never liked about him. It was always so easy to mistake it for an accusing expression as if he would blame the opposite person of the bad things happening to him. Yet then again, there was a sort of power in that face reminding her fearfully of the power of Basilisks. A beautiful lake with a hot, bubbling volcano underneath ready to explode if the forces of natured teased it so. That was his face.

“Is Harry Potter causing you trouble?” Zéphyrine asked.

“He has practically taken command of the Hit Wizards! I always thought that he especially should have all the understanding of us reuniting with the Muggles but he seems to be one of the fiercest protector of the Statute of Secrecy if there ever was one…”

He shook his head.

“And he always speaks highly of that Delacour girl, do you remember her? Just a few years above us, God, was she a snobbish one!”

“You still envy her for being of age when she entered the Triwizard Tournament, don’t you?” Zéphyrine teased him with a smirk.

“Well, you would have felt right at home in those tasks.”

Rémi sighed and took a sip of coffee.

“I envy Wannemacher, he at least is free to go as he plans to. Maybe I’ve taken the wrong path…”

“Don’t you tell that yourself, Rémi, we’ve achieved exactly what we wanted to do and we’ve started way earlier than Holger and his movement. When the time is right, we have all the resources we need. No need to sneak in there, we have the power of office protecting us…to a certain degree but it will suffice. That’s the beauty of revolution: it can vary in so many different ways!”

“You’re right. But for now we must keep playing the game.”

She smiled.

“Is that why you’ve followed along with increasing the security here?”

Rémi nodded.

“Security…against them, when the time comes…”

Zéphyrine chuckled.

“You see? This position does have its advantage.”

She set the coffee cup back onto the saucer.

“Yeah, well, even if we decided to attack the ICW, we’d be seriously outnumbered. But there are other methods, like you said. And I’ve already taken the steps to ensure our success in that method. Will you help me?”

She nodded.

“As your personal assistant, I’ll be with you in every step on the way.”

* * *

Patthama immediately knew that something was wrong. No one was greeting her when she returned to Tremblay Mansion just outside Paris. Not even a House-elf could be seen. Walking through the corridors, she eventually reached the library where she found her parents and some of the House-elves. Her mother stood behind the chair where her father sat, his hands folded together not looking at her, his face the most frightening thing Patthama had ever seen. An eerie silence filled the library with Patthama too scared to answer. They knew.

“How could you…?” Sakchai Suaiwetmon finally whispered.

“You could have had anyone… _any_ man, _any_ woman! There are loads of women in respected families. But you’re mating with that…that…creature!”

His words weren’t loud but they cut into her like a dagger. Her mouth trembled as she spoke with a full voice filled with determination and defiance with only a hint of fear drippling out as she whispered:

“She is respected…her family is centuries older than any of the purest European wizarding families….”

She looked at him though he still didn’t look back continuing to stare to the side.

“I choose who I want to be with, father! I’m sick of being dragged to a ball or a birthday because you hope that I would choose one of those witches or wizards with their disgusting opinions! You don’t even know what I did when I was away, I dated people I liked, people from many backgrounds. If you can’t handle that…then you don’t deserve to be my father!”

The last word she spoke filled with tears. She was afraid, angry, disappointed…she had no idea what he would do next. She had always managed to hide her deeds from him, presenting herself as the good girl, the well-behaved daughter. She had never spoke up to him and now…finally he was looking at her and his eyes seemed to rip her apart, penetrating her viciously. He rose from his chair and she stared at him as he pulled out his wand. She wanted to close her eyes, to make it all stop but she stared back at him with trembling lips.

“ _Davara bhava!_ ”

Ropes restrained her and Patthama, not being able to stand anymore, fell flat onto the floor. He slowly walked towards her staring down at his daughter trying to free herself. She stared up at him. Pointing his wand at her, he raised Patthama into the air so that she floated in front of him. As if she was nothing more than a caught animal, he let her hover through the mansion and outside towards the main gate. As he released her, she crashed down landing hard on the road. He waved his wand and a magical barrier erected itself blocking the entrance.

“Don’t you ever dare to show your face again, Patthama!” her father hissed. “Or I will truly punish you. You have just experienced my mercy. You’re on your own. You will not attend Beauxbatons any longer and all your savings will return to me!”

She stared at him with a mixture of anger and shock. At least he had left her her wand. Patthama got up on her feet and turned around without a look back. The road was losing itself into the forest and soon there was no sign of man-made structures or paths. Patthama leaned against a tree, her tears now fully dripping from her eyes. She was scared yet relieved. As she calmed herself down thinking about what she should do now and where to go next, something dawned on her: the determination of her father! He would stop at nothing to make sure that any trace of that humiliation would be erased. And that meant…

Oh god, no!

Patthama stood up and focused on her new destination. She should have pressed her harder, it was all her fault now! With a sudden rush of pain, she disapparated landing onto a Muggle street in Paris. Luckily, it was a smaller alley and it was deserted. Patthama winced glancing at her shoulder where a bloody spot could be seen. Quickly orientating herself, she headed off...

* * *

The apartment was empty when Zéphyrine returned. Shame! She had hoped that Patthama would perhaps be waiting for her. Treating herself to some fine Elf-made wine, she was about to stride into the living room when she heard a rustling noise. Keeping her back to the intruder, she waited…

As the wizard drew his wand to strike, she dashed into the air, so quickly yet so elegantly that it seemed like a ballet dance. Her hands were on fire as she skilfully deflected the curse with a ball of flame driving the attacker further into the flat. Sparks began to fly as the room started to ignite. Evading the spells and curses, Zéphyrine danced her fight occasionally letting her other face come through, the ugly one with the beak and the scales, snapping at the man who was moving equally acrobatically as he evaded her dark, powerful magic. With a fiery slash, she snatched the wand out of his hand letting it burn in the flames. Making a floating motion with her hands, Zéphyrine conjured a thin, strong current of wind that blasted the man through the door into the last room. While her wings retracted into her shoulders and her beautiful face reappeared again, she snapped her fingers and every fire in her flat burnt out instantly leaving behind a grey and burnt floor and similarly damaged walls and ceilings.

Zéphyrine slowly and gracefully walked towards the man who now lay on the floor coughing, as he too was burned but alive, barely. She crouched down before him studying his face.

“I know who send you…” she whispered, “but it will backfire so much more than he could ever begin to imagine.”

The attacker chuckled hoarsely.

“I couldn’t care less…done this just for the money…” He coughed more. “Guess that don’t matter now anyway…”

Zéphyrine smiled cheekily even as the blade cut through her chest. She put a fiery hand onto the chest of her attacker, almost soothingly.

“You don’t know what you have done…what you’ve unleashed…” she whispered as she drew in a sharp breath. As she breathed out one final time, it was accompanied by an explosion of a wind which shattered the knife and sent ripples throughout the flat. Zéphyrine fell onto her back still smiling slightly while the murderer before her burned to the ground from the inside leaving behind just a bit of ash that was blown away by the wind through the hole in the now glassless window.

* * *

Patthama was thrown back by the blast of air that appeared to come out of Zéphyrine’s flat shattering windows throwing people off their balance. With an indescribable fear, she ran up the stairs and into her girlfriend’s flat. Four people were at the scene already but she didn’t care about them. She brushed one of the two men aside and kneeled down beside Zéphyrine’s body, tears streaming down her face.

“Please…no! Please don’t…” she mumbled over and over again trembling and sobbing. Thus she sat there for what seemed like an eternity to her as the two men and the two women watched her until one of them crouched down beside her laying her arm around Patthama’s shoulder.

“We must leave now,” the man who seemed to be the leader of this little group stated.

“One moment, please,” the women beside her pleased.

“Nolwazi, we can’t! The Muggle police will arrive along with a ton of Aurors, not to mention Zéphyrine’s own people! They will want to bury her according to their customs. And they will not be kind to us now that a human managed to kill one of them! We need to leave!”

He started to walk away and the other man began to follow him while the women remained behind. The one called Nolwazi quickly but gently helped Patthama to stand up.

“Who are you people? How do you know her?” she asked. Nolwazi looked around, out of the window and replied.

“In a second,” she said and took her and the other woman’s hand and disapparated with them. They arrived in another small alley where the two men were waiting for them with a little bucket between them. Patthama hesitated for a moment but touched the Portkey and away they went.

They arrived in a posh, elegant room. As Patthama looked around, she felt a rocking motion and realized that they must be on some kind of ship.

“How did you come to know Zéphyrine?” Patthama asked again.

“She was part of our movement, Ma’am,” the leader explained. There was something about him that Patthama couldn’t quite place, an energy, a drive that seemed to surround him.

“I am Holger Wannemacher and these are my associates, Felix Winterberg, Eva Reinecke and Nolwazi Robinson.”

Patthama’s eyes widened, not in fear but in excitement.

“You’re the ones everyone is looking for…you’re the Phoenix Movement!”

“We are,” Nolwazi replied.

“Zéphyrine was to play a vital part in the revolution that we are about to unleash,” Holger added, his voice full of purpose and with a penetrating gaze that seemed to demand agreement.

“She was in an important position with a personal connection to the Minister for Magic and inside knowledge. We are within a grasp of change here with only a few obstacles in our way and we need someone to continue Zéphyrine’s work!”

She looked at him and at the other’s in the room: Nolwazi with her colourful clothing and blue and purple hair looking at her expectantly and, if she read her expression right, interested; the woman beside her, Eva, with blond hair, the two thin scars on her face and the magical eye that looked emotionless so unlike her other eye; the older man, Felix, who didn’t look directly at her leaving her to wonder whether he was blind; and Holger, who slightly nodded encouragingly.

“I’ll join you,” Patthama began, “but I have one condition: I know who killed Zéphyrine, or at least, who ordered her death. And I want to return the favour!”

She turned to the window staring blankly out onto the lake and the forest.

“It was my parents! They allowed me great freedom as long as I followed the Pure-blood path, as long as I married into one of those so-called great families…”

She turned back.

“I want to free myself of them! I’ve always despised their idea of wizardry, I am not what they are!”

She saw Nolwazi shooting a look at Holger who raised his chin.

“I will grant you your wish. But it comes with a condition of my own: we’ll use their mansion. It’ll be the last place that the Aurors and Hit Wizards will be looking for us.”

Patthama nodded.

“I’ll happily provide it to you,” she said.

* * *

The Muggle press was, of course, everywhere. Rémi Auclair stared out of the window as the French police told the reporters the usual Muggle explanation of a “terrorist attack”. His Memory Charm had worked quite nicely on them. He watched as the Aurors first searched the flat before the leaders of the Accambray clan arrived to pick up the body of Zéphyrine. Why had she been killed? And more importantly, who would take her place? Perhaps Holger knew the answer. Rémi decided that he would have to wait at least a day before he could expect a meeting.

* * *

The light of the mansion's windows was the only light besides that of the moon. Nolwazi noticed Eva staring up at it. Soon it would be full again…

Patthama stood in front of the group consisting of Nolwazi, Eva and Holger. The young Thai-French witch had assured them that her father would have something in store for them should they really infiltrate the mansion. But there was one thing that could penetrate his defences: they all crouched down to the Portkey, an old cauldron, and each pressed a finger on its surface. Looking determined at each other, the four people prepared for the second-long pull through space and a moment later found themselves in a comfortly lit room.

"This is the library," Patthama explained looking around. "They're not here…"

Nolwazi briefly examined some of the titles: on first glance, it was a vast collection containing everything from French wizarding history, tales from the local Pure-blood families, dark and ancient magic and spell books. A few books in Thai could also be found here and even two written in Sanskrit. Nolwazi instantly knew what she would do first once they'd claimed this house.

"They anticipated an attack," Holger deduced, "Where could they be hiding to mount a defence?"

Patthama only needed a second to think of the answer.

"The crypt. Before Père Lachaise was created in 1804, all members of the Tremblay family were buried there. And all have obligated themselves to let their bodies defend the mansion should it ever be attacked. They'd defend their family beyond death itself."

"Quite a commitment," Eva commented.

"Let's go," Holger suggested and gestured Patthama to lead them there. Drawing out their wand (and, in Eva's case, a gun) they followed the young witch down the stairs, through a corridor and into the main hall. Patthama strode on, heading for a door leading downstairs, lit only fly torches. They arrived in a vast room, almost like a church. The coat of arms could be seen on the floor depicting an aspen tree. Large columns supported the ceiling. A gigantic angel statue rose over them at the other end of the room and various smaller statues depicted deceased family members. But this wasn't the only part of the crypt as various doors leading to other parts on this floor proved. Additionally, a staircase led to an upper level which, like a balcony, was attached to the walls.

And directly before the angel statue, at the oldest grave in the room, were two figures kneeling on the floor as if they were praying.

One of them looked up and they both turned and rose to their feet. Patthama's father had fury written all over his face, looking towards his daughter and her companions with disgust. His wife had a similar expression on her face.

"You keep disobeying me, Patthama," her father spoke, calmly but clearly nonetheless, and his voice was filled with disappointment.

"You killed her," Patthama hissed back. "You ordered her death! My father wouldn't do that…I'm not killing my father tonight. He has already died!"

Sakchai's lips twitched for a second when hearing this. He raised his wand and began to move both of his arms in a complicated motion, almost like the conductor of an orchestra. The atmosphere seemed to change. Nolwazi knew this sensation. She had witnessed this ritual only once in the Caribbean but she would recognise it anywhere! Multiple cracking noises could be heard as the graves along the wall began to open. Patthama tightened the grip around her wand and advanced on the oncoming ancestors of the Tremblay family sending Blasting Curses on them which fired large holes through their rips throwing them back for a moment but they continued towards her nonetheless. Eva aimed her gun and shot one Inferius in the head and, when that didn't work, aimed at their knees which resulted in them tumbling to the floor but continuing to crawl towards the group. Nolwazi meanwhile conjured up fire which she carried in her left hand which she threw at the Inferi drawing them off while Holger resorted to enchant several of the statues which jumped down from their pedestals and proceeded to attack the Inferi by kicking them or dismembering them into their pieces leaving a puzzle of bones on the floor.

Cécile made her own move in conjuring a gigantic body of fire at the group that curled and formed into various shapes, mostly snakes. Nolwazi ran over to Eva and took her hand running to the upper level with her as Patthama too retreated leaving only Holger who stood his ground making a complicated move with his wand that sent the flames into a whirlwind that rotated fastr and faster sucking the flames into itself until it was only a fall of flames in the air that blew itself out. The once beautiful ancient bright stone of the walls and ceiling was now dark and on the verge of breaking. It was still hot and Nolwazi felt sweat rushing down her forehead and chest leaving her clothes soaked. She and the two other women watched at Holger advanced on Sakchai and Cécile engaging them in a ferocious duel. He easily deflected their Killing Curses by sending a grave flying between them resulting in a huge explosion of stone as the curses shattered the grave into a dozen pieces. Patthama ran down the stairs and joined Holger as he sent a curse at her parents which they blocked with a shield. A deep otherworldly sound reached their ears as the curse hit the shield sending the two backwards against the grave before the Angel statue. Patthama aimed her wand at the angel who bowed down sending its giant stone wings onto the floor creating a barrier that blocked the parents' next curses. It then grabbed Sakchai and Cécile from behind pressing them onto the floor on their stomachs. The wings lifted allowing Patthama and Holger to approach them. Nolwazi and Eva followed. Patthama summoned both her parents' wands while Holger crouched down.

"Zéphyrine was a very good friend of mine," he told them. "And with her murder you've unleashed the fury of her clan. You despised them so much that you didn't even thought of the consequences of your action…if your daughter doesn't kill you, they surely will."

Sakchai stared up at him.

"And what about you, Mudblood?" he sneered. "You Muggle lover, you Half-breed mating filth! Too scared to go through with it, eh?"

Nolwazi could practically hear Holger's soft smile.

"I don't kill," he simply said. He straightened up and, without looking at her, spoke to Patthama.

"Do what you have to do."

He then turned around, emotionless, and, without another look back, walked straight out of the crypt. Eva immediately followed. Nolwazi took a final look at Patthama and at her parents before leaving as well. The last thing she heard was the first word of that oh so fatal curse:

" _Avada…_ "

She found Holger and Eva outside in the extensive grounds of the mansion with a large lake at its centre. There, the _Gornuk_ had just appeared and Holger was just welcoming the first passengers. Nolwazi sighed looking around at what would be their new home for now. She wondered how things would go now that Zéphyrine was dead and thus her connections. They had a new ally though, one who was still a mystery to Nolwazi. An enigmatic murderer of Pure-blood descend no less but apparently only by, well, blood…

* * *

The Federal Chancelor of Germany was sitting in her office when Frothard apparated inside which he found was quite a rarity considering the many international trips she had made recently. But he had announced the urgency to speak with her as he always had done. Since coming into office in 2003, Frothard had had two chancellors he reported to when the situation acquired it. His relationship with the Gerhard Schröder didn't go too well due to the then-chancellor's massive ego. In comparison, he still had to witness a single incident in discussions with Chancellor Merkel where she actually made a decision of her own.

"Madam Chancellor, I know that you're busy so I will get straight to the point," Frothard said as soon as he arrived. "We have identified the creators of the banner back in June, the group calling themselves _The Phoenix Movement_."

The chancellor gestured to a table between two sofas and they both sat down as he took out several pictures.

"I need you to arrange that your law enforcement will watch out for these eight members of the group. They are led by Holger Wannemacher (he pointed to the picture of a young man). Now, the five people here are members of a Vampire family and thus cannot go out in daylight without heavily protecting themselves. But they might go out at night to hunt, a practise which has been made illegal and is now even disprized by most Vampires who rely on voluntary blood donations or animal blood. But the Rodtant family wants to bring back these ancient traditions. This woman here is believed to be Wannemacher's sister. And the elderly man here is Felix Winterberg, a blind but powerful wizard."

The chancellor regarded the pictures calmly.

"I will arrange to these people to be searched for," she assured him.

"Thank you, Madam Chancellor," he said.

He hesitated for barely a second but chose to reaveal nothing more. The other two he would have to deal with himself…


	12. What Is to Be Done?

Ragnuk Street had changed since Kezban had last visited it: Aurors were patrolling here now. The student demonstrations that had almost become common here had vanished and the school’s entrance was guarded most heavily, it’s doors magically sealed. After the attack on the Council of Magic of Frankfurt, harsher methods were employed. Kezban knew that what had remained of Işık’s little network wasn’t anymore and that the Aurors had done their job. She would find no answers here…

She roamed the Muggle streets again, without purpose, without a goal. She sat down on a bench in the city staring ahead, just staring into nothing. She had nothing now. What use was the work inside a Ministry of magic that couldn’t even protect its own citizens? She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice she feet coming towards her and that someone was looking down at her.

“Kezban?”

She looked up.

In front of her stood a young Muggle man with blond hair and a soft face.

“Carsten!”

She rose up and threw her arms around him, her eyes filling with tears.

“Hey…hey, what’s wrong?” Carsten whispered soothingly and shushed her while stroking her head.

“I-Işık… Işık is dead!” she stammered with a broken voice.

“What?” He held her face in his hands and looked at her incredulously.

“How?”

Kezban just shook her head. She couldn’t, she just couldn’t, not now, it was still too recent for her after a half a month. She gulped and looked around.

“Wanna go for a drink?”

* * *

They sat down at the bar of the little pub not far from where they had met. Carsten listened calmly as Kezban whispered about the circumstances of her brother’s death and what she had to endure afterwards.

Carsten finally sighed.

“I still remember when I first met him, he was just a baby and we were both in kindergarten…”

“There wasn’t a day when we didn’t see each other and played for the whole day,” Kezban remembered. “And when he was old enough to join us, we had so much fun…”

She sniffled shedding a few more tears.

“I only now understand what he was fighting for in the end…”

Carsten looked at her.

“When I first found out that the two of you were magical, I was excited…with a little bit of jealousy mixed in there…”

They both chuckled.

“And I always wondered why you kept hiding yourself. I mean, look at what you can do!”

Kezban sighed rolling her eyes.

“That is the question that everybody is asking now, you know? Should we come out of hiding?”

He stared at his drink.

“I believe we do.”

Kezban looked at him.

“We?” she asked.

“I mean…” he scoffed at himself. “Well, you lot should come out of hiding and we, meaning both of our communities, should be working together.”

“Not many Muggles are asking this question,” Kezban mused.

“Well, I’d say not many know of your existence,” he retorted with a grin.

The door to the pub opened and a figure walked in that was covered in a thick winter coat with a scarf covering her face and a hat positioned so that her face was barely visible. She slowly walked to the bar and removed her sunglasses making sure that no sunlight from the windows reached her.

“Kezban Çalışkan?” she asked, still having not removed her scarf.

“Yes…?” Kezban asked nervously.

The woman finally removed her scarf revealing a wax-white skin but kept her hat on so that the pointy ears that Kezban could just make out remained largely hidden.

“Ada Trorkunn,” she said and as she spoke, both Kezban and Carsten noticed her two short fangs between her upper teeth.

“Trorkunn?” Kezban asked now knowing who she was talking to.

“How did you find me?” Kezban wanted to know.

“Well…” Ada said, “Ragnuk Street has become quite famous now…”

Kezban looked down at her glass.

“Actually, I was looking for Nolwazi,” Ada explained.

“We don’t work together anymore,” Kezban said.

“Yeah, no kidding!” Ada added. “So, instead, I looked for you.”

“I see,” Kezban said. Pointing to her friend beside her, she introduced him.

“This is Carsten Mohnhaupt, my oldest friend.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ada said stretching out a gloved hand.

“Likewise…are you…?” he began but stopped himself.

“Yeah, I am,” she said knowing where he was going with this. The bartender arrived.

“Something to drink?” he asked.

“Thanks but I’m afraid I have to decline,” Ada said, “although, could you hand me an empty glass?”

The bartender frowned but bowed down to hand out a glass anyway.

“Thanks,” Ada said pulled out a flask which she bent over the glass letting a red liquid our inside.

“Is that…?” Carsten began but Ada had already closed the flask again and held up her glass.

“Cheers! To Işık!”

They toasted him and drank for a few moments in silence.

“He brought together so many young people,” Kezban reminisced, “I used to dismiss that…I didn’t see what he was actually doing. But with the way this are now and where they could be going…”

“What do you suggest we do?” Ada asked.

Kezban stared at the table shaking her head.

“I don’t really know. Wannemacher’s way isn’t the right one, we can’t just force the Muggles to accept us; a revolution will only bring blood and chaos. We need to meet eye to eye. Cooperate with each other voluntarily and don’t leave the non-magical population in the dark.”

Ada scoffed.

“Frothard will never let that happen. As much as he is anti-Pure-blood despite coming from a Pure-blood family, he will never be in favor of ending the Statute of Secrecy.”

“But the people are,” Kezban pointed out, “and that will be our advantage!”

“What are you saying?” Carsten wondered. Kezban beamed at him.

“We will challenge Frothard. The wizarding community will need a new form of leadership, one that is prepared to work with the Muggles in peace. I will convince the people to vote for a new Federal Minister for Magic. And when we’re leading the wizarding community, we’ll form a new party, _The Purples_ , and we will work to find a peaceful solution of ending the statute and work with the Muggles.”

“That might be working but what about the International Confederation?” Ada asked. “They will never accept that!”

“Then we’ll find allies! I know there are some ministers who are well aware that we can’t keep going on like this and they would want a change. The only reason they don’t go on with it is because, right now, they’re in the minority, but with more young people calling for an end of the statute, many others could be pressured to go along with it.”

“It won’t be easy,” Ada said. “Also, The Phoenix Movement already operates in Muggle territories, especially in the poor areas that have been neglected by Muggle politicians. They could pose a danger to us.”

“So where do we start?” Carsten asked.

“First, we need to persuade more people,” Kezban said. “And I think I know where to begin…”

* * *

The House-elves had accepted the takeover surprisingly fast. Holger guessed that it was perhaps due to Patthama being the only member of the family alive that lived in the mansion. The Tremblay family had been a dying breed for several decades now slowly merging with other French Pure-blood families like the Rosiers or the Lestranges. The wide-spread grounds of the mansion meant a ton of space for the Centaurs and the lake provided a good spot to park the _Gornuk_. Captain Arguk took the ship occasionally however in search for other Goblins to join the cause. It was an historical achievement: the first time in human history that Goblins would fight alongside humans. Usually they had either been neutral or fought against human oppression.

The Rodtant family had secured themselves their spot within the mansion and enlarged on of the guest bedrooms. They resorted themselves to all sleep in one bed and occasionally at night one could hear loud moans through the double doors. So far though, no human among the movement had yet expressed the desire to receive the Bite. But Holger could feel the anxiety among the Vampires, the lust to go hunting soon. The time for that would soon arise. Holger had planned something special for the family, something that would satisfy their lust and be useful for the movement simultaneously.

Nolwazi and Eva also had a room for themselves although they preferred the comfort of their tent next to the comfort of the mansion. Nolwazi had chosen the bedroom next to the library, Patthama’s bedroom in fact, something the now official owner of the mansion seemed to be all too happy with. Holger noticed that Nolwazi almost immediately explored the library once everyone was settled and practically devoured its content.

As for Holger himself, he and his sister Anna had chosen the master bedroom for themselves. It led to a long room with dozens of paintings and glass castes that displayed various objects of the dark arts that Holger inspected closely determining their potential use in the coming revolution.

As he was about to visit the last most important member of the group, Holger noticed Miette standing in the doorway.

“Master Holger, you have a visitor.”

“Thank you, Miette,” Holger said.

With a grim expression on his face, Holger made his way to the main hall where he found Rémi Auclair to be waiting. Walking straight up to the French Minister for Magic, Holger didn’t even bother with a greeting.

“We’ve agreed not to meet!” he hissed.

“Not much of a choice now, have we?” Rémi replied breathing heavily. Holger averted his gaze for a moment then summoned two glasses and a bottle. After the glasses had filled themselves, he handed one to Rémi and the two men toasted.

“To Zéphyrine!”

“To Zéphyrine!”

Rémi sat down on a sofa next to the doors.

“Why was she killed? Who was after her?”

Holger gestured around the hall.

“The former inhabitants of this house: Sakchai Suaiwetmon and Cécile Tremblay. Zéphyrine was in a relationship with their daughter, Patthama. Imagine their reaction when they found out. The girl now works with us.”

Rémi shook his head.

“I’ve warned Zéphyrine that this would not end well,” he sighed. “She didn’t listen. But then again, she could never be persuaded to not pursue trouble…she seemed to love it, actually.”

He glanced up at Holger.

“The Accambray clan has not taken it well, her death. No one has managed to outright murder a Veela, except if you believe the stories of centuries past. They’re on the war path now…but you’ve proven yourself to be favorable to them, Holger. Imagine it! They’d be a powerful ally!”

Holger frowned seemingly lost in thought.

“Maybe that was her goal…she said she had a plan, she even hinted it to Patthama…but she never elaborated on it.”

He chuckled.

“The possibly oldest sentient race on this world…older than humanity itself…enigmatic and mighty, sworn to protect Mother Earth.”

“I’ll never understand how we managed to subdue them,” Rémi said shaking his head.

“Did we, though?” Holger asked. “They’re divided as much as we are, Rémi. Those who performed as Mascots, those who attend Beauxbatons…do so out of choice. Others avoid the cities and villages all together, particularly in the east. The truth is…we have never come to learn their full potential…we never valued them deep enough to care. In our arrogance, we tend to underestimate them like we have with so many other magical beings.”

“But it is that arrogance which is now working in our favor,” Rémi mused. “Look at your people for instance: Vampires, Werewolves, Centaurs, Goblins…and now the Veela. With their help, we might even stand a chance of seizing the ICW Headquarters.”

“Your most ambitious endeavor,” Holger noted. “Possibly the most highly secured wizarding facility in the world.”

“Only concerning fire power,” Rémi said. “I already have an idea of how to ensure the allegiance of the Veela and how they could play a role in taking the Headquarters. However, magic alone might still not be enough. Which is why I took steps to ensure the support of non-magical institutions…even if they’ll be too late to realize it.”

“Having grown up in a prominent political family certainly helps,” Holger pointed out.

“How are things going on your end?” Rémi asked. “Germany…why don’t you just rely on lobbying in parliament?”

“We want a new system, Rémi, not taking over the old one,” Holger reminded him.

“And only a revolution can ensure that!”

* * *

The German Federal Minister for Magic sighed as he prepared to talk to Mathilda Leitfried about the most recent developments. The young employee of the Department of Experimental Magic had entered his office moments ago and was now sitting across from him looking at him with her ever so stoic expression.

“Mathilda,” Frothard began, “I’ve sent you up here because you’re one of only two people in this ministry I can trust. Recently, several of my department heads have become either radical or unstable. And now even my personal advisor has seemingly defected. I granted Nolwazi that position because I trusted her and her judgement. She has a unique experience that is needed in this day and age even more so than ever before. I tasked her with finding out as much about the Phoenix Movement as necessary by whatever means she chose to do so. So, is her joining the movement part of her plan or does she genuinely believe in their ideals? Now, I gave explicit instruction to every magical government at state level to take her directly to me should she be arrested. The question is: who will I face? You’ve known her longer than any of us, I need to know what you’re thinking of her.”

Mathilda looked down pressing her lips together before replying:

“I could tell you exactly what she‘s thinking...the excitement she‘s feeling in traveling again...the uncertainty of what she will experience with this group. She has always favored the wider world, even more so than me. As to whether she truly believes in the ideals of the Phoenix Movement...I couldn’t say. I thought she wouldn’t but I’m not sure anymore. Perhaps she simply uses her girlfriend‘s desire to join them. It could be that she will eventually stand before you with detailed reports on the movement...or she shares the beliefs of Holger Wannemacher, or at least, some of his beliefs. She never favored violence but if she wants to gain access to the heart of the organization, she might decide to endure their deeds in order to gain their trust. One thing I can assure you is that we both agreed that the Statute of Secrecy won’t be possible to uphold in its current form.”

“Maybe,” Frothard replied, “But I rather prefer upholding the Statute for as long as possible than ensuring chaos. A peaceful reunification is not likely at this time and it could throw the Muggle society in disarray. I can’t allow myself to speak in clear favor of one side anyway without risking the position of my office and potentially my life even. Yes, it’s that dire! The radicals on both side see me, and this ministry, as an outdated institution. It is clear now that the Phoenix Movement knew that this would happen when they launched that banner. They wanted this chaos so they could focus on their plans, whatever they are.”

He stared on his desk for a minute.

“Did you have any more visions?” he asked her.

“No,” she replied.

“And your team? Did you find something to work on again after that ridiculous internet task?”

Mathilda sighed.

“Sir, with respect, the less you know the better. I believe you know my department’s protocol in case the worst happens?”

Frothard nodded.

“Total lockdown…indefinitely. No one comes in or out until the threat has been neutralized.”

He rose from his seat.

“Thank you, Mathilda. That’ll be all.”

Mathilda nodded and, without another word, turned straight towards the door and left. Frothard looked after her with a pensive expression.

* * *

When Holger found Nolwazi in her tent, the German-American witch was standing in a corner of the drawing room playing her violin and occasionally making notes on a sheet of paper. A couple of tiny feminine-shaped creatures flew around the room seemingly admiring either her or her music.

“You’re composing?” he asked calmly. Nolwazi, having sensed his presence as he entered, didn’t skip a beat as she lay down her instrument.

“My thoughts on the times…” she said, “…the present, the future…what needs to be done…”

“Hm…”

Holger looked up to the fairies who were now grooming themselves vainly as he regarded them.

“I didn’t know that you kept fairies,” he observed.

“Oh, they’ve been here for a while,” Nolwazi said. “Their mother came to the tent heavily pregnant and used the plants in my greenhouse to lay the eggs. Thus, these little ladies practically grew up with me. As of yet, they’ve never left the tent.”

Holger bit his lips and paced around the room for a while before turning to Nolwazi who was watching him curiously.

“Fancy a game?” he asked her looking at the chessboard at the table near the fire. Nolwazi smiled and joined him at the fireplace. She conjured them drink and Holger, using the white pieces, made the first move.

“It’s not the goal that is the question…” Holger murmured after each had made a few moves. “It’s the way that leads to said goal: how can we efficiently cripple the useless Statute of Secrecy and change society for the better…?”

He looked thoughtfully at the chessboard where his queen was just massacring one of Nolwazi’s bishops.

“A question that those who saw through the dubious arguments of the faction that wanted to hide away thought about from the very beginning,” Nolwazi replied. “Castle to E4,” she added and her castle advanced viciously attacking Holger’s queen dragging her pieces off the board.

“Oops,” Nolwazi said cheekily.

“And now we are following the words of one of their greatest figures,” Holger replied. “Jáchym Kovář’s vision was clearly ahead of his time. In a world where the Muggles take control over more and more aspects of our natural world and human society, a revolution is the only answer. Even though his end goal is practically not different from others.”

“A world where hiding or ruling are no longer necessary,” Nolwazi whispered rubbing her thumb over her lower lip. “I have dedicated myself to those people who aspired to change the world they knew: from Pinkstone to Kovář, from Nadežda Vetrova to Yabuku Osinbajo, from Yun Bo-yeong to Vincent Saint-Just, Adam Weishaupt…”

“Weishaupt’s writings were actually the first political writings I came across during my travels through the German-speaking region after school,” Holger remembered. “The only wizard who ever had a place at the University of Ingolstadt, illegally according to the Bavarian Ministry of Magic. That secret society of his became so famous that even the Muggles delve in conspiracy stories of them. But those idealists like Weishaupt or Pinkstone…they won’t be able to actually achieve anything…”

Holger stared into Nolwazi’s eyes in a probing way and Nolwazi stared right back, confidently.

“Ideals which you share, I gather…”

Nolwazi put on a light smile.

“Ideals on which we all agree on: no statute…no classes…no labels…no need to people to rule over people.”

Holger shifted in his seat.

“Nolwazi, I need people who can think for themselves, you know? I value different opinions and I don’t expect anyone to blindly follow me, I never have and I never will. Theory…is merely a guide, not a bible. Remember that! It must be allowed to evolve according to circumstances. The revolution must always continue with new ideas for new situations. If we become static then we risk to become just like _them_ …”

“…until we are beaten,” Nolwazi finished making her final move. “Check mate.”

Holger regarded the defeat with a smile.

“You are an excellent tactician, Nolwazi. You’d be an excellent Auror or a great soldier.”

“I don’t kill,” she simply said but with a sharpness in her voice.

“Neither do I,” he expressed firmly. Nolwazi glared at him.

“In fact, I’m practically afraid of the thought,” he said glancing around and staring at the ceiling.

“There are others for that,” Holger concluded and Nolwazi understood that he was actually thinking of the mansion.

“Thanks for the game.” Holger said rising from his seat.

“Anytime,” Nolwazi said smiling. “I look forward for you beating me in return.”

“I’ll try my best,” he chuckled and left leaving Nolwazi alone by the fire deep in thought of what he had stated. She didn’t even know how long she just sat there listening to the low cracking of the fire when Eva strode into the room making a point of laying slowly on the sofa watching her girlfriend brooding in the armchair.

“Did I ever tell you that you look so hot when you’re in deep thought?”

Nolwazi smiled and lazily turned her head to watch her girlfriend who was approaching her slowly, a cheeky grin written over her face.

“And you won, of course,” Eva observed as she sat down in Nolwazi’s lap. “What did you two talk about?” she asked as she kissed Nolwazi before resting her head on her shoulder.

“About why the revolution matters…but I think he actually came to me to assess me,” Nolwazi mumbled as the two women cuddled.

“Assess you…?” Eva mumbled into Nolwazi’s shoulder. “Why would he suspect you?”

Nolwazi blinked.

She stared at the ceiling as she stroked her girlfriend’s head.

“I…” she began. She closed her mouth again, her eyes moved downwards regarding Eva’s head. She felt Eva’s hands nestling with the buttons of her blouse and Nolwazi closed her eyes enjoying the soft motions of the girl on her lap as she freed her breasts and slowly moved her head from her shoulder. She moaned as Eva’s lips closed around her nipple suckling rhythmically. Then she felt hands touching her cheeks and opened her eyes to find Eva’s face before her coming closer until they kissed. Slowly, she found that her worries were floating away until…

Nolwazi’s eyes opened again as Eva turned to likewise stare at the figure in the doorframe leading to the entrance of the tent. Patthama stood there watching the two women.

“Sorry to barge in like this…I just can’t stand the bedroom any longer,” she stated, her expression grim. She strolled across the room towards the small bar near the fireplace filled with Ogden’s Old Firewhisky, Elf-made wine and Gigglewater. Patthama took a small bottle out of the bar and conjured up a glass to fill.

“It all stinks of my stupid heritage that I had planned to leave behind…”

Staring ahead, she briefly looked at the girls, her eyes moving up and down their bodies.

“But, alas, we still need it…why didn’t I just left for Beauxbatons?! I could have become a teacher…teach those…little ones true values…not the ones my parents preached…”

She looked down at the glass, shrugged and gulped it down in one piece. Wincing briefly, she led out a second-long, high-pitched laugh.

“You’re drunk already,” Nolwazi observed.

“Wow, you really _are_ clever, aren’t you, sugar?” Patthama commented sarcastically but she smiled nonetheless.

“Yeeeah, I am drunk!”

She began to walk towards them.

“Just as I’ll be when I burn this damn mansion to the ground after our work is finished…,” she mumbled dropping the empty glass on the carpet just as she reached the chair. Nolwazi had rested her head on the backrest of the armchair watching Patthama essentially from upside-down. She felt Eva straighten up on her lap. Patthama bowed down and planted a kiss on Nolwazi’s lips and then proceeded to kiss Eva. She heaved the young Muggle out of Nolwazi’s lap and carried her on her hip like a toddler heading for the nearby sofa. Nolwazi lazily strode after them as Patthama sat Eva down on the sofa. Joining the slightly older witch, Nolwazi kissed her passionately and stroke her shoulders to then, in an elegant gesture, magically let her clothes practically float off her body. Patthama took out her wand and aimed it at the sofa. Eva briefly reflexively tried to grasp for hold as the sofa magically expanded becoming larger.

“Hm…come to mommy!” Patthama whispered grabbing Nolwazi and gently threw her onto the sofa resulting in a short yelp from the German-American witch. Eva began to strip Nolwazi completely while kissing her and Patthama caused Eva’s clothes to vanish. Using magic, she stripped herself and crawled up to Eva and Nolwazi. She rolled on her back and gently pulled the other girls’ heads towards her breasts. Nolwazi began to enclose the nipple with her lips and started to suckle as she felt Patthama’s hand pressing her head towards her breast making it difficult to breath. She stuggled and tried to get Patthama’s hand off her head.

“Ooh, you are a naughty little baby, aren’t you?” she heard Patthama’s voice in a playfully stern voice. She let go of Nolwazi’s head and instead started to spank her behind. Nolwazi winced and rolled off Patthama’s body watching her and Eva who continued to suckle her breast occasionally biting her which earned her a couple of spankings as well but she took it in her stride and yelped rather aroused as Patthama’s hand hit her bottom. Eva moved her hand and began to finger the older witch roughly and Patthama moaned passionately. Nolwazi lay beside them watching the two but her thoughts drifted back to her match with Holger and wondered whether he truly trusted her. She barely noticed how the other two rolled around so that Eva was now lying on her back pressing Patthama’s mouth to her breast. Eventually, Nolwazi stood up quietly and proceeded to go upstairs while Eva remained on the enlarged sofa with Patthama. Nolwazi could hear more spanking and excited moans from her girlfriend as she reached her room.

* * *

The master bedroom was the most splendid of all the private rooms in the mansion. The giant windows that led you look out northwards, the huge bed that was beyond comfortable and the gigantic wardrobe which was even bigger inside. All that decadence! Apart from the entrance there were two additional doors, one leading to a large bathroom with a tub that could’ve fit the entire inner circle of the Phoenix Movement and another one leading to the study that had belonged to Patthama’s father. Now it belonged to Holger and his sister. He found her there writing her diary. The desk had been cleared of the personal items of the previous owner, things that Patthama would take care of, and replaced with several books by Jáchym Kovář and some of his followers (most of whom were not alive anymore) as well as maps of France and Germany. Next to them stood a framed photograph showing three young people, a barely of age man and two teenagers, a boy and a girl. All three were smiling brightly and waved. Holger took a long gaze at the oldest and sighed.

“Have you come to trust her?” Anna asked.

“I have,” he replied walking towards the window and watched the centaurs gathering around a fire.

“What do you think August would have thought? What would he have done?” she mused.

Holger sighed anew.

“We’ll never know…but from what I’ve managed to find out after he was…sentenced, he would probably have trusted her much more than you do. He rarely had ill feeling for people…and he’d always saw the good in them.”

He shot a glance at the photo.

“Why don’t we finally let that bastard Ganhardt pay?!” Anna hissed.

Holger went up to her and lay his hands on her shoulders.

“It will come to that, that I can promise you, sis! I’ll let you judge over him. But there are bigger issues at hand. Going after him could destroy everything we have worked for if we’re not careful. I cannot risk that until we have gained foot in Germany. The revolution will swipe people like him away.”

Anna scoffed.

“He will commit other cruelties while he can.”

“That’s why we need to get our plan in motion. The time is ever closer. The circumstances will align. And we will free the people from the grip of the elite!”

Anna leaned her head against his chest.

“He would have been proud of you!”

Holger grimaced a sad smile.

“He wouldn’t be…he would just shrug and said it was necessary.”

Anna nodded.

“Yeah, that’s more like him.”

She smiled.

“Come on, let’s go to sleep.”

* * *

The gilded walls of the Élysée Palace reminded Rémi very much of the main building of the French Ministry of Magic which showed a similar splendour. He nervously paced around the room that was used as the French President’s office. He was in the unique position of not only being in contact with the Muggle President but also with the French Minister of Defence for he was his father. The political history of Rémi’s family meant that he now had a very rare influence over the Muggle politics that he could use to the advantage of the wizarding world. What most of his other colleagues didn’t seem to understand was that this current crisis couldn’t just be solved within the wizarding world. The Muggle leaders _had_ to be involved too! It was both their communities that were at stake. If it came to war it could become the deadliest war in human history in which all powers would use their biggest arsenal. However, with wizards possessing abilities that Muggles did not, Rémi feared that a clever wizard like Holger Wannemacher who understood the danger of Muggle weapons would first secure himself a few of those weapons in addition to things like giants, Veela or Vampires, not to mention the wizards advantages in guerrilla warfare. Hell, if a wizards could use apparition to easily rob a bank, he wouldn’t want to imagine how he could use his powers to engage in infiltration.

The double doors opened and the President entered along with Rémi’s father, Jean-Pierre Auclair.

“ _Monsieur le Ministre_ , it’s good to see you again,” the President greeted Rémi extending his hand. Rémi took it.

“Thank you, _Monsieur le Président_ , I have come here today because the situation threatens to go out of hand if we’re not careful,” Rémi said.

“This radical organisation of yours,” his father pointed out. “Do you want us to alert the army?”

Rémi shook his head.

“That is precisely what I’m trying to avoid. You see, a war between the magical and non-magical society would have devastating consequences, possibly far more devastating than World War II. What we need is a strong alliance, we need the Ministry of Magic and the French government to work together! I’m aiming for a peaceful reunification between our two cultures but at the time, it’s likely that it would come to that. So far, my position is a minority among wizarding leaders, my strongest ties are to the British Ministry of Magic and I could at best convince the German Federal Minister for Magic to join us. But they are having their own problems. So it is of utter importance that the French government will not generalise the wizarding community simply because they are different. We need to work together!”

“If what you say is true,” Jean-Pierre said, “than our military bases are in serious danger. You told me what your kind can do. Even if we decide to work together, how can we be sure that the army will not be infiltrated?”

Rémi looked down.

“The truth is, we can’t. At least, if we don’t make sure that every military base is being guarded by a group of Aurors that can defend a magical attack. We need to combine our recourses!”

His father let his head sink in thought for a moment, his hands behind his back. He sighed.

“We could introduce them as a new special force. And we let the bases know that there might be reason to suspect attacks. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

The President nodded.

“I will prepare a statement in case the press gets wind of this. Rumours are the last thing we need.”

Rémi nodded and shook both their hands before disapparating. Back in his office, he let out a sigh of relief. That part of the day was done. The other important thing would be arriving shortly…

* * *

Patthama had only once been to the French Ministry of Magic when she was still a child. Her mother had taken her there to a vast round room where they kept important documents on French Pure-blood families. At least that was what her mother had told her. As she now knew, it also housed documents of other wizarding families and even Veela clans who had chosen to reside in the capital. As Patthama made her way through the portal between the _Rue des Balais_ and the ministry complex, she saw a figure ahead in the garden, a well-known figure: jet-black, untidy hair, glasses and, only barely visible from this distance, a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. Harry Potter was approaching a young woman who was walking ahead of him. As they were closing on the archway where Patthama was, the young French-Thai witch hid behind a one of the stone arches and eavesdropped on the conversation of the two…

* * *

Cho had actually been meaning to return to Britain after a brief stop to interview several members of the ICW on the situation with the Phoenix Movement when news had caught the HQ in Paris that the leading circle of the movement had nearly been caught by Harry Potter himself and that the German Federal Minister for Magic had increased security in his own country and also sent out a series of wanted posters of the key members of the Phoenix Movement. Among others was a face she had come to knew so well: Nolwazi Robinson, the girlfriend of her adoptive cousin! And that meant that Eva had to be with them too. As her uncle had let her know via owl as well as his House-elf Shunzan who now regularly reported on the well-being of Eva.

As Cho was heading back to her hotel to finally spent a few moments at least with her daughter after a series of extended interviews, she heard someone approaching her.

“Cho…wait!”

She turned around with a sigh.

“Want to add anything, Harry?” she asked sharply.

He stopped before her and bit his lips for a moment.

“I just wish that you would see the position I’m in…” he began.

“There’s nothing to see!” Cho interrupted him. “I thought that you of all people wouldn’t resort to such a policy. After all we fought for!”

“We fought for the freedom of the wizarding world! And that freedom is now being threatened again and we cannot risk another reign of magical terror!” Harry said slightly raising his voice.

“I can’t understand why Kingsley is supporting you on this,” Cho said shaking her head. “The whole reforms of the ministry were aiming at better relationships with the Muggles! Look around you! Every wizarding scholar says that it is only a matter of time before we can no longer uphold the statute and we have a youth of mostly Muggle-borns or Half-bloods who are actively calling for reunification, they have ideas and visions for a new future of cooperation! We’ve been seeing this coming for ten years now, I told you my experiences myself! What are you trying to save here with your aggressive policy?”

Harry stared at her incredulously.

“We cannot possibly just show ourselves to them, Cho! They would never accept us! And it’s not just Holger Wannemacher. Do you know Raphael Prewett and Sulwe Oyange?”

“Only by reputation,” Cho said slowly. “They were in their final year when I started at Hogwarts but I never actually met them. They were in my house.”

Harry nodded.

“Well, ever since they left, they’ve dabbled in questionable and possibly dangerous endeavours concerning ancient magical sites and artefacts. In fact, we have reason to believe that many of the things they found are classified as Class A of Non-Tradeable Materials! But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. They had started to promote for an abolishment of the Statute of Secrecy and they have recently begun to visit Hogwarts again more than once. And McGonagall refuses to see me on this matter…”

“Well, wouldn’t be the first time that a ministry official would aggressively try to interfere in Hogwarts matters, would it?” Cho retorted with her arms crossed and raising an eyebrow. Harry stared at her, open-mouthed.

“You…”

He stammered for a moment before composing himself.

“Anyhow, they have known to break the statute on a number of occasions in different countries all over the world during their research. We don’t know yet what they are planning but it could be serious. And with all that what’s going on, who knows whether they are not helping certain people?”

Cho looked down for a moment.

“I have to go now. But if you continue on your personal campaign…you will risk everything that we’ve built ever since defeating Voldemort. Please, think about this!”

She turned and walked towards the wizarding street leaving Harry Potter standing there looking after her. After he had made his way back to the ICW building again, Patthama got out of her hiding place and made her way to the French Ministry of Magic.

She felt really nervous standing before Rémi Auclair as he read the will that her parents had written for her.

“This is perfect,” he mumbled. He looked up at her and frowned at bit as he seized her up.

“The funeral is set for tomorrow morning at Père Lachaise. We’ve already made arrangements so that there’ll be no disturbances by Muggles.”

Patthama shook her head.

“I can’t…I can’t…”

She felt her hands tremble.

“I swore to myself that I would leave that world behind forever.”

“And what do you think the Pure-bloods at the funeral would think if the daughter of Sakchai Suaiwetmon and Cécile Tremblay doesn’t turn up for their own funeral? As far as they know, both of them died being accidentally poisoned by their House-elf bringing them tea. You need to keep connections so that they won’t get suspicious. We need the mansion, we can’t risk it being searched.”

“I could always refuse them when they turn up,” Patthama said.

“Even more suspicious, then…keeping secrets. These are dangerous times, Patthama, especially in the eyes of the Pure-bloods who fear their downfall before anything else, their status and influence. It’s bad enough that a Mudblood is leading their ministry and now they feel threatened as they rise up demanding even more change and even leading political movements. They know their time is up, deep down they can feel it. If the Phoenix Revolution is successful, they’ll be the first to go. They’ll be sure to fight back and we need to know what they are up to. We need someone on the inside. You must play the game!”

Patthama bit her lips.

“Why don’t we take the fight head-on?”

“And throw ourselves into a civil war with all that is going on? We can barely keep the statute stable and if even one step doesn’t go as planned, we might lose our chance to win!”

Rémi had risen from his chair staring down at her furiously.

“I know that you hate this life, I know that you want to be free, frankly, so do I, but we need to be patient. We cannot afford the Muggles to prepare their arms against us, we need them, we need their power!”

He walked around his desk and she stood up to look him in the face. He put his hands on her shoulders.

“Do it for Zéphyrine! She was the one who came up with the idea, you know? You’ll gain their trust and when the moment comes and we’re ready…you’ll gonna strike them from within! Isn’t that what you wanted?”

She looked him in the eye and sighed. Finally, she nodded.

“I’ll do it…for the revolution!”

“For the revolution!”

He nodded and she turned around and left the room without a word. Rémi looked at the doors that closed behind her.

* * *

One of Holger’s most important assets wasn’t a Centaur or a Goblin or a Vampire but a hacker. A young Muggle whom he had met in Paris a few days after they arrived there. As he walked into Edgard Lachance’s room, he took in his Muggle equipment, the technology such as the laptop and various other stuff. It was like a small lab but quite disorderly.

“How are things going?” Holger asked.

“Well, I’m all set,” Edgard reported straightening his glasses, “if you wish I could start right away.”

“Hm…we need to wait a little longer, I’m afraid. But soon it’ll begin.”

He glanced over Edgard’s shoulder at the screen of the laptop.

“You taught me a great deal though. We need to understand your technology if we’re to fight them. We need to stay a few steps ahead.”

“Oh, I can manage that,” Edgard said smiling.

“That’s why I chose you.”

Holger pointed to one of the windows at the screen.

“I think we’ll start with that once the time is right.”

Edgard grinned brightly.

“Oh yes, brilliant choice, sir!”

“Please don’t call me _sir_.”

Holger clapped Edgard on the shoulder and left the room again.

* * *

The Tremblay Mausoleum was gigantic. Not as boastful as the Lestrange Mausoleum but still there was no doubt what family resided here and what status it wanted itself to have. The aspen tree could be seen everywhere throughout the mansion, as a symbol and as a living plant. Patthama found herself shaking hands with members of the Rosiers, Volants and Leroys but also of British Pure-blood families such as Lucius Malfoy and his wife. His son, as Lucius led slip rather angrily, had chosen not to show up against the wishes of his father. Patthama forced herself to look taken with sadness over her parents’ death but not too much: showing too many feelings would be deemed as weak among Pure-bloods. In retrospect, she couldn’t even remember most of the event and was quite happy about. She knew how to behave among the wizarding elite; it had been engrained to her from a young age. She had arranged for any suggested visits to be happening at the one offering it with the excuse that she didn’t enjoy being at the mansion often as the moment of finding her dead parents would overwhelm her. She wondered how long she could keep that excuse. She would have much rather gone to the funeral of Zéphyrine but humans weren’t allowed at Veela mournings, even if they had been the deepest of lovers. Giving the body back to mother Earth was a sacred act for these magical creatures. Patthama wondered what they would do now that a human had managed to kill one of them…

* * *

The forest was so deep that humans rarely came in these parts. Members of all the western Veela clans had come together to mourn the death of Zéphyrine Accambray. As her body was consumed by the flames, the Veela sang hymns of the circle of life as the essence of who she had been returned to Mother Nature to once again become part of life. After the ceremony had ended, delegates of all clans gathered together forming the Council of the West and all listened as the head of the council, Pyrilampée Laviolette began to speak:

“My sisters, for millennia we have been watching, protecting Our Great Mother and all life she bore. And we have been watching for too long! We have allowed one of her children to neglect her, to outright main her! And we have allowed ourselves to be servants to those very beings to have harmed her! The Humans!”

Cheers of approval came from the other council members.

“My sisters, we have come together to mourn the murder of our sister Zéphyrine who has sought to fight their atrocities! Some of the witches and wizards no longer want to stand by and let their brothers and sisters continue with their destruction of Our Mother Earth! So I pose the question: should we take her place and join those who have allied with her? Or should we act for ourselves in the name of our Mother and set out to heal her from those who harm her?...”


	13. Serve the People

The dittany had managed to somewhat heal the wounds on Tomoko’s left cheek: it now looked as if it had been a couple of days that a slice of her cheek had been cut out. She was still trembling as she sat on the chair, surrounded by those witches and wizards, as young as she was – about 20 something – telling her story. The young woman who had treated her wound was Sarah Scholl. Like the young man sitting a few meters next to her, Nico Auer, she was born and raised in Munich. Along with the ten or so young witches and wizards, a female goblin was also living in this flat.

“…and so we had been sleeping for a few hours when, in the middle of the night, those Aurors stormed in with their glowing wands aloft shouting at us to get up and line up against the wall,” Tomoko recalled. “And we didn’t even know what was going on because they literally woke us up, some of us didn’t even have something on them and where pleading with them to get dressed but the Aurors were just silencing them! And Merle…they didn’t even wait for her to stand up, they just grabbed her, obliviated her and dragged her out! And outside…the neighbors, twelve or so, were starting to protest our arrest, peacefully, without wands or anything but the Aurors just ignored them. That’s when I made a run for it, right there through the window! I bet they didn’t even consider that. It’s the sort of thing maybe a Muggle would do, I don’t know…they fired curses after me but I kept running. I ran and ran and as soon as I believed to be out of their Anti-Apparition Jinxes, I apparated here…with some difficulty,” she added pointing to her cheek.

“They were blaming us for those attacks on the Frankfurt Council of Magic that those Purple Army guys,” Tomoko whispered. “They had nothing to do with us; they were citing the Phoenix Movement as their role model! But since when have the Aurors cared to make that distinction?”

Sarah sighed and sat closer to Tomoko caressing her right cheek.

“Remember what Carlotta Pinkstone said? _It requires less mental effort to condemn than to think._ ”

Tomoko nodded and smiled.

“Well, we’ve been having our own problems here in Munich,” Nico explained standing up. He walked to a drawer and took out some photos.

“The press doesn’t show these pictures. All the public gets to see are ready-to-go Aurors standing gloriously on the steps of the ministry.”

Tomoko took the photos he held out for her: all of them moving, they showed Aurors firing mercilessly into the crowd, randomly, including what appeared to be Unforgivable Curses.

Tomoko looked up at Nico in shock.

“Curse first, ask questions later…if at all,” Nico commented grimly.

“And now, the Phoenix Movement made things worse. Ever since Frothard declared to capture them the Aurors in some states including Bavaria and Hesse-Kassel have begun to randomly search places to arrest people. They want to show their power.”

“And we’ve been protesting before that banner was unveiled in that shopping center,” Sarah added. “And they have tried to silence us through many different ways including sending Aurors to stun us. They are the bodyguards of the government.”

Tomoko nodded numbly. Nico sighed.

“Sometimes I wonder whether this peaceful protest is really gonna change anything…perhaps we should resort to more…active methods.”

“We are active, Nico,” Tomoko replied looking straight at him. “Our protests, our actions already have inspired many others to join our efforts! And it’s not just protests, it’s helping people, wizards and Muggles. We do what is right, even if it’s against their laws. We’re doing what they should be doing if they were truly ruling in our name.”

“And we need to continue it. The Phoenix Party has already started to understand the appeal of our strategy. They are copying us, using our ways to further their own goals. We need to make sure to the public that they are nothing like us.”

Tomoko rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“I need to sleep, guys,” she mumbled.

“I show you to your room,” Sarah said holding Tomoko’s arm and guiding her to the stairs. Nico looked after them and Yarskat shot a look at him.

“If you think that violence and authoritarian methods will solve this, we won’t stop you,” she said.

* * *

Early next morning, the four of them walked through the snow-covered Magnusplatz which was already very busy. Tomoko had only been here once before and she admired the beauty of this place: the ancient houses and the gigantic round square with its trees and the fountain in the center. At a newsstand, witches, wizards and goblins were gathering around whispering to each other. Sarah was the first to arrive and she returned to the others with a newspaper, the _Bavarian Giant_.

“ _120 aggressive and violent protestors hindered the local Aurors to capture the criminals…_ ” she read out aloud shaking her head. Tomoko snatched the papers out of her hands and stared incredulously at the front page.

“They were 12! And they were protesting peacefully, they didn’t interfere at all,” she stated angrily. She turned towards the building where the Bavarian Ministry of Magic was located. She then stepped onto a bench holding up the newspaper.

“I was among those whom the Aurors wanted to arrest in Frankfurt,” she called out. She caught the attention of a few people who looked up from the newspapers they were reading. Sarah pointed her wand at Tomoko’s throat whispering “ _Sonorus!_ ”.

“The Aurors came in the dead of night and violently broke into our rooms,” Tomoko recalled to the crowd that now was growing as she told her story. “They forced us against the wall, some of us didn’t even wear clothing! And the neighbors started to protest and they were doing it peacefully, they were 12!”

She raised her right arm holding the newspaper high above her head.

“What they’ve written here are lies! What the Aurors are telling you are lies! They want to paint us as criminals and violent when all we’ve ever done is to point out the truth and the injustice that creeps through this system!”

She looked around, more determined than ever.

“But we cannot let such a system stand! Walk with me, my friends! We will show them how we respond: with words and with non-violent action! They think that they’ve won when they curse us down! And they think they have won. But their violent victory is only momentary, it is nothing more than a defeat! Because we have a weapon that is stronger than any curse because it will endure every single one of them – we have peace and we care!”

She stared at the ministry building again.

“Today we will walk towards peace.” She finished more quietly and stepped down from the bench. As Sarah removed the spell from her throat, Tomoko continued to walk across the square and Sarah, Nico as well as Yarskat joined her. And the wizards and witches and goblins that hat listened began to follow them. Silently they marched.

* * *

Archibald Hugenbert was a man of purity. For centuries, his family had shaped the order of Wizarding Bavaria. One of the noble and most ancient German-speaking magical families of the purest of blood, the Hugenberts had secured influence in many parts of life. His great grandfather who had even reigned as Federal Minister for Magic from 1925 to 1929 had also owned a vast collection of newspapers and magazines that were instrumental in spreading the truth about Mudbloods and half-breeds across the wizarding community to all of Germany. They had all been banned when this band of Muggle-lovers had taken their country and turned it into an abomination shattering the work of Gellert Grindelwald! But now they were finally on the way of making the wizarding world great again, of restoring the glory of the wizarding race!

Hugenbert looked out of the windows with distain over the infestation that was growing on his square. Thomas Reischer, the head of the Aurors at this ministry entered the office with a worried look on his face.

“There is a group of Muggle-borns and Squibs gathering on the square, Minister. And they are joined by goblins.”

Hugenbert slowly turned to him.

“We must always clean the house of Doxies, Reischer, you know that as well as I. And right now, there is a pest in our house.”

He pointed out of the window towards the square.

“Have your men deal with this. Clean the square of this filth!”

“Yes, sir!” Reischer responded and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Tomoko couldn’t help but to gulp slightly as she spotted the Aurors that began to block the entrance of the ministry. Wands drawn, they calmly stood on top of the stairs leading towards the entrance clearly trying to look menacing. Tomoko slowed down for a moment but resumed her walk. Trying to look calm, she felt her heart racing. He recalled the hands that brutally forced her against a wall, the shouting and the curses silencing her and her friends in their apartment. She knew what was coming for them. But in the briefest of seconds, she chose to endure it. She had something that the Aurors could never take away. Something that would endure even after they would kill her. As the crowd was closing in, the Aurors pointed their wands at them randomly aiming for people in the crowd. But Tomoko noticed something odd: a few of them had trembling arms and looks that flashed from the crowd to their colleagues. As she and her fellow protestors were only feet away from the steps, one of the Aurors turned his arm and aimed for his colleague!

The hex hit the man straight in the face and he transformed into rat. With a fearful squeak, the rat scattered away out of sight. In that time, more Aurors had turned on each other and in a flash of spells, those being attacked were either disarmed or stunned or even hexed. Tomoko looked baffled at Sarah who could only shrug. The Aurors were now leading the crowd blasting the double doors open. Tomoko took in a deep breath and quickly followed them. As the dozen witches, wizards and goblins stormed inside the ministry entrance hall, the Aurors had already begun to disarm loyal employees and arriving Aurors guards. Several people in the crowd were likewise drawing wands but merely to shield themselves and to disarm. Those who were now without wands hurried for the fireplaces at the walls, others disapparated. Sarah, who had disarmed an Auror, handed a wand to Tomoko. She took it and grabbed Nico’s hand.

“Come on,” she cried and they hurried towards the stairs leading to the lower levels. As they heard others running upwards, Tomoko made for the lowest level, a place barely lid and with dark walls. It looked like a dungeon almost and as they turned around a corner, Tomoko could hear people screaming for help. As he two of them came to a halt, they were staring right in the faces of several Aurors. With a swift flick of her wand, Tomoko sent a blinding flash through the room. The Aurors grunted and shielded their eyes but it didn’t help. They were disorientated. A small pop sounded in front of them and Tomoko and Nico spotted Yarskat. The goblin raised her hand and one cell after another opened. Tomoko joined her and led the chains disappear that bound the prisoners.

As Tomoko raced upstairs again with Nico in tow, cries could be heard across the entrance hall:

“The minister fled! Hugenbert has fled with his staff! The ministry is ours!”

* * *

Nolwazi stared towards the swings and the slide that formed the kindergarten playground along with several other constructions. She was playing with the other kids. She was exploring the grounds around the kindergarten building with the slope that led to a small line of trees in front of the fence around the kindergarten. She made things flow, she made flowers blossom, she sensed the minds of the birds in the trees. She got between two children trying to settle their dispute while magically keeping them from brawling with each other when one of the adults came along. And she was in the crib now, surrounded by bars while the other kids were allowed to play still. She managed to open the crib hatches without touching them. They denied her solid food. She sat on the ground of the room of her kindergarten group on a rainy day with her eyes closed focusing on building a tower out of building blocks without touching them. They sent her down for an afternoon nap with the toddlers and younger kids and she wasn’t even tired. And then Nolwazi woke up.

* * *

When Holger stepped into the main hall to greet Rémi, he found that he had brought someone with him: a woman of such stunning beauty that it couldn’t be real! Holger knew immediately what kind of being she was and reminded himself to focus and to restrict his eyes to hers rather than the rest of her body.

“Holger, this is Pyrilampée Laviolette,” Rémi introduced her.

“Madame,” Holger said with a short bow before her. She smiled delightfully but kept her pose.

“The Veela of the Western Clans have decided to join your efforts. Zéphyrine has put an immense trust in you. You not only fight for humans but for other beings as well. We serve our every Mother but we are prevented from doing so by your authorities. We have the same enemy.”

Holger nodded politely.

“That we have. And if I may, I would like to inquire your help in a little operation I deem crucial to our fight, an operation in fact to protect nature in my country. But it requires planning and it may take a short while to organize it.”

“You have our support.”

“But there is another thing that could be crucial for us,” Rémi added.

“It appears that this morning, the Bavarian Ministry of Magic has been occupied by a massive amount of protestors. The local government has fled but it seems the people controlling the ministry are now expanding their influence or that their actions have influenced others, it’s hard to say at this moment…”

Holger turned away from them and started pacing around the room.

“This changes things…I had anticipated chaos, but this kind…”

“This could be an opportunity for you, Holger,” Rémi said, “They could pose potential allies.”

“But they might as well refuse to cooperate with us,” Holger murmured placing his hand to his bearded chin. “Apart from that, I had wanted to stay out of those interior matters. I look at the bigger picture…”

“It’s your decision,” Rémi added, “whether you’ll be working with or against them.”

“There may be a third option,” a voice came from the stairs. They all looked up and saw Nolwazi descending into the main hall. She approached Holger and they looked each other in the eye. Holger raised his chin and his mouth performed a silent “Ah!” of understanding.

“The excellent tactician, as always…” Holger smiled.

* * *

The two stood on top of a small hill overlooking meadows and fields, a small valley with a stream, a row of wind turbines and a small Muggle town.

“So this is where you grew up…” Nolwazi observed.

“The beauty of the Hunsrück,” Holger observed. “See the small settlement east of that Muggle town? The Muggles can’t see it from the outside but that’s where I grew up…between fields, meadows and forests…”

He sighed and turned to her.

“Do you know _The Six Bullerby Children_?”

“Oh, I loved those books,” Nolwazi remembered, smiling, “I always wanted to be Lisa. I used to play it with my neighboring friends.”

“As a child, I used to believe that all witches and wizards would live like I did,” Holger continued, “Cared for, with the charm of the countryside around me…my mother was Muggle-born, my father met her first in her hometown of Idar-Oberstein, that city famous for its gemstones. Not only Muggles found use in them but wizards too: agate, jasper or amethyst were used in local potions. My father used to work for the local Ministry of Magic in Mainz as an Auror. Until my brother…my brother…August…was planning to kill Minister for Magic Erchanold Ganhardt, along with two comrades of his. They failed. They had seen the tyranny of that Pure-blood bastard and they wanted to free the people from him! And that bastard killed them himself. They hadn’t even done anything yet, it was just an idea in their heads. And they didn’t even have a trial! Ganhardt wanted to go after my father next but my father fled before he could get his hands on him. I had just graduated when they killed August. We left the village immediately and went to Brandenburg instead. That’s how I found out about the real face of the world.”

He looked down and then at Nolwazi’s compassionate expression.

“I explored Europe after that and what I found disgusted me. Not only the magical side but the non-magical one as well. We could help them; instead we’re holing up behind enchantments and a belief of superiority. If the statute was ever necessary, then maybe at the very beginning but after that…we could have fought back before their arsenal wasn’t as powerful as it is today. Open war…would be the worst thing that could happen to us.”

“We could still have the advantage,” Nolwazi mused. “We have ways of escaping, of infiltrating that they can never accomplish. With small groups, ambushes, sabotage, raids, hit-and-run tactics using all the magic at our disposal…”

Holger nodded and smiled grimly.

“That’s why we’re doing what we’re going to do now. Be one step ahead of them. A back-up. And if that is needed, I’m gonna need you at my side, Nolwazi.”

Nolwazi nodded stating ahead at the beautiful landscape.

* * *

The chunky, ugly collection of blocks that made up the building of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) was situated in Cologne. Even as they stood there on a bridge looking towards the complex, Nolwazi had the feeling that they were being watched. Holger had chosen Nolwazi and Eva, his sister Anna, Felix Winterberg and Agnes Rodtant who sat on a bench to their right obscured by trees, safe from the sun.

“We should go,” Holger observed as he saw two men in uniforms approaching at a distance from the left.

“Apparently, you’re not even allowed to look at this building,” Nolwazi said sensing the thoughts from the guards.

“All the more reason to get on with our mission,” Anna noted.

They joined Agnes and as the two guards had stepped around the corner ant onto the bridge, the group had already disapparated.

* * *

The secretary’s room looked nice but also distant, uninviting. Apart from a plant in the corner, the wood-covered walls were completely blank. The group acted fast: Holger stunned the secretary who collapsed into his chair, Nolwazi locked the door and Anna checked for security cameras. She then disapparated to the room where they surveyed the place in order to make sure that no footage of them could be found. Felix guarded the door to the corridors and Holger led the others inside the office of the president of the BfV.

A man with tiny eyes and with matching tiny glasses sat at the table. Though his spectacles certainly looked funny, the overall look of his face told Nolwazi that this was a man of conviction. As he calmly looked towards the uninvited visitors, Nolwazi raised her wand and cast a Knockback Jinx onto the head of the BfV who was flung against the back of his chair, the kind that rolled on tiny wheels and was pushed back to the wall along with his chair.

His pose failed and he stared in utter shock at Nolwazi and the others, particularly regarding Agnes in fear who made an evil grin showing her fangs. The head of the BfV recoiled at the sight of the Vampire’s teeth.

“Mr. Maaßen,” Holger addressed the man but before he could continue, Maaßen blurted out: “Who are you?”

Holger grinned.

“That depends on you,” he said. Slowly moving close, he looked down on Maaßen who was still seated.

“But you cannot escape your deeds,” Holger whispered throwing a small sack into Maaßen’s lap. Looking fearfully into Holger’s eyes, Maaßen opened the sack pulling out shredded pieces of paper. Holger bowed down to him grabbing the sides of the chair, his face now menacingly near Maaßen’s.

“We have known for a very long time what you tried to cover up,” Holger hissed. “Where the money for your “police informers” really went…”

Holger leaned back and pulled out his wand.

“ _Reparo!_ ”

The nearly pulverized paper repaired itself before Maaßen’s horrified eyes revealing files. Maaßen’s wanted to get up but Holger used the Impediment Jinx on him leaving him paralyzed in his chair.

“You intentionally funded far-right underground cells who used that money for explosives and other weapons killing ten people in seven years; one of your informers even sent you details on who these people were…”

Holger produced a CD and laid it onto the desk.

“Evidence that you managed not to recover _inside your own building!_ ”

Maaßen, who had regained the ability to move again, breathed heavily.

“So it’s true,” he whispered. “You _are_ real!”

Holger raised his eyebrows in understanding and his mouth formed a silent “Oh”. But he quickly recovered.

“Thank you for admitting it,” he said.

He began to pace around the room.

“Now, you have two choices: you can either willingly work for us…or you will work for us. If you do volunteer, your life could be even better in a few years…”

Maaßen scoffed.

“Work with _you_?” he spat. “You’re worse than those leftists our there!”

“The only thing that you can see, apparently,” Holger said coldly. “But you’ll gladly support the real threat, won’t you? Not for long, though.”

He raised his wand again.

“ _Imperio!_ ”

* * *

It was quiet in the mansion that evening. Nolwazi just could sleep tonight. After what they had done today…never in her life would she have dreamed that she would one day face the head of the BfV, an organization that she once had believed in. But after the revelations Holger had shown her, she came to realize that that institution was, like all secret services, needed to be abolished.

Since it was too cold outside (even in her Animagus form), Nolwazi decided to retreat to the library. There were so many books and magazines in there that she could have stayed here for decades to finish all of them. Unsurprisingly, she found a great number of pro-Pure-blood and pro-wizard-supremacy books in the library. Some of the titles along made Nolwazi’s stomach turn. She had just settled into a chair with an interesting book when she heard footsteps slowly entering the library. To her surprise, it was Felix.

“Can’t sleep either?” she asked.

He shook his head and knocked twice on the floor with his staff. A nice-looking chair appeared out of nowhere next to the one Nolwazi was occupying. After he had sat down, Felix stared ahead for a moment before towards Nolwazi.

“Why are we really doing this? Is it really for, well, the best of everyone?…”

Nolwazi pondered on his words for a moment.

“When I was little, my kindergarten teachers would, well, punish is not the right word because they weren’t cruel, but they would still discipline me…like, sending me to a crib to sleep in when I wasn’t even tired yet or denying me solid food. I think humiliating me would fit it. And when I went to school, I experienced some classmate’s disgust about my Muggle heritage. So I was a child of both worlds but I didn’t always quite fit in for some people…”

They sat there in silence for a while.

“I always believed that, in an ideal world, the Statute of Secrecy didn’t have to exist,” Nolwazi continued.

“I realized its constrictions very early in my life. But since this is not an ideal world, I used to think that the statute was the necessary wall keeping to kinds of cultures save from each other. But the statute is an artificial barrier preventing us to help those who can’t help themselves against those tormenting them. Or those who, despite using their best of inventions, can’t help either themselves or others to get better…we, witches and wizards, magical humans and beings, have an obligation to use our skills against these people. We used to keep the balance among ourselves, magical or not. Now our border is making them taring themselves apart and the same happens to us. We need to reunite and use all our skills and abilities to create a better world.”

Felix sighed.

“There is no question that the statute needs to vanish. It’s how we’re going about it that scares me…and why Holger would do it this way…”

Nolwazi regarded him.

“I know the feeling…there was something off about him today…and that made me wonder as well…but…”

She sighed.

“I just don’t see any other way that it would work…if there is a peaceful way of getting rid of all this…the way we live, the way the Muggles live…I’ve met people who believe that there is but, looking at the state of the world…I feel a revolution is the only way to change things…”

Felix turned his head towards her.

“A revolution can be many things.”

Nolwazi smiled and nodded at that statement. Then suddenly, they heard a horrifying scream echoing through the mansion.

“Eva!” Nolwazi whispered before dashing off. Felix followed, surprisingly fast for someone who couldn’t see.

The scream had now been reduced to a whimper through the bedroom door. Nolwazi drew her wand and kicked the door open.

Eva seemed to have backed off and tumbled over in front of the wardrobe. Nolwazi first stared at her, then at the thing in front of the wardrobe: a bloody mass of a human, maimed beyond recognition but still breathing somehow. And above the maimed body hung a silvery orb that looked very similar to the moon…

“I can’t repel it!” Eva shouted in horror, “I can’t do magic, I-I can’t…”

Nolwazi grabbed Eva’s arm and helped her up. Eva flung around and buried her face in Nolwazi’s breast. Nolwazi shushed her briefly before stepping protectively between her and the boggart. The creature did nothing for a second before transforming. Nolwazi took in a sharp breath when it had settled. A white police officer stood in front of her, his hand already at his side arm. He grabbed the gun from the holster and aimed it at Nolwazi.

“Hands up, get on the ground!”

Nolwazi couldn’t move. Her mouth opened slightly as if to speak but no word came out. Instead, it earned her a “Shut up, bitch!” from the police-boggart and, out of instinct, Nolwazi performed a shield charm as the officer fired.

“It can’t hurt you, Nolwazi,” she heard Felix from behind her.

She took in a deep breath.

“ _Riddikulus!_ ”

As the police officer fired again, his gun turned to a pink water pistol. Nolwazi let out a short laugh and the boggart changed again. This time, a couple of people stood in front of them, all wizards. Dressed in dark robes, they raised their wands and something green emerged above their heads, forming into a skull with a snake for a tongue.

“ _Riddikulus!_ ” Felix shouted and the dark wizards turned to a pile of powder on the floor.

Nolwazi turned to Felix.

“So that’s your greatest fear,” she said. He nodded.

“Pure-bloods ruling the world…what was yours?”

Nolwazi gulped.

“A white police officer,” she said.

“A corpse maimed by a werewolf…” Eva said and gulped adding: “Or, specifically, by me as a werewolf.”

They all stared at the remains of the boggart.

“We mustn’t be afraid of our own fears,” Felix said. “We’re all afraid of something. And fear is not a bad thing. It helped us survive in our earliest days as a species. Only cowards fear fear.”

* * *

Holger leaned over a map of Wizarding Germany with its various states. His sister Anna sat on the desk next to him and Henriette Rodtant, the head of the ancient Vampire house, stood on the other side of the desk.

“The German ministries are on the brink of civil war,” she observed. “And the Vampire houses are likewise divided: some have sided with Federal Minister Frothard, others have joined the newly-formed wizarding councils like the one in Munich.”

“We should use the chance to secure territory for ourselves,” Anna proposed. Holger looked at her doubtfully. She leaned forward towards him.

“You cannot concentrate our fight solely on the Muggle side! You need a back-up strategy, Holger. We could use their slogans against them! Convince them that we’re on their side, that we want the same thing! Didn’t Kovář himself say that, in the end, there should be no such thing as a state? That’s the same thing that those people want. They just don’t have the stomach to fight for it.”

Holger regarded Henriette.

“What do you think?” he asked her.

“I concur,” the Vampire matriarch said.

Holger nodded.

“When we’ve succeeded with this I will appoint you to be my head of the new security forces. Those who are in the way of our cause will be in your hands.”

“Will we be able to force them to donate their blood for us?”, Henriette asked. “We need the hunt. It’s our nature.”

Holger tilted his head.

“You may choose to deal with enemies of our new system by whatever means you deem necessary.”

* * *

Ever since he had arrived in France, Harry had been working nearly non-stop. His immediate subordinate, Orla Quirke, walked a few steps behind him.

“How are we standing on Cho Chang?” Harry asked.

“We continue to observe her in case her step-cousin makes contact with her,” Orla reported. “But I should point out that Mr. Chang has much influence, not only in Germany, sir…”

“Yes, I’m aware of that,” Harry said. “He will likely have already arranged to find his step-daughter on his own terms, probably with the help of Chinese Aurors. The Chinese delegates have been launching their own investigations ever since Frothard released those wanted-posters.”

He stepped into his office.

“But we have bigger concerns right now, namely Raphael Prewett and Sulwe Oyange. Any sign of them?”

“Unfortunately no,” Orla replied. “We know they had contact with Holger Wannemacher some time ago but the two Aurors that had followed them have made no reports for two weeks now. Mr. Potter, I have to inform you that we found one of them: Dawlish has been found dead just outside of Paris, sir. He had no more blood in him. One of the Vampires who had joined Wannemacher must have killed him. Creswell has made no report either but at least we haven’t found his body yet. His brother has volunteered to search for him and for Prewett and Oyange.”

Harry nodded. Sighing, he thought of the consequences should either Wannemacher or Prewett and Oyange succeed with their plans. All three of them had shown signs of wanting to bring the statute down. Harry thought of his children: James Sirius, 9 years old, two years away from Hogwarts. Albus Severus, 7, and his youngest child, little Lily Luna with only 5 years old. He feared for their future. That generation could be living most of their lives with war if everything that they had built would be crashing down by those radicals like Wannemacher. Harry knew what it meant to be responsible for the deaths of dozens. He would not risk letting something like that happening again!

* * *

The office of the Supreme Mugwump was located on the top-most floor of the ICW building. Babajide Akingbade had become head of the International Confederation of Wizards in 1995 when Albus Dumbledore had been dismissed from his position following the Ministry of Magic denunciation of Lord Voldemort's return. Akingbade himself had believed the headmaster of Hogwarts and had been active to have Dumbledore reinstated, at least as a member of the ICW but the British delegates at the time had threatened to leave the ICW entirely. In the end, with Cornelius Fudge resigning, Dumbledore had indeed been reinstated as a delegate. His death one year later had resulted in worldwide mourning. After Voldemort’s defeat, the British ministry had become a role model for bold reforms and a leader in activism for the rights of magical beings and beasts. Akingbade knew he could count on the British should things go south. They all lived in explosive times right now, times that would decide the fate of the entire century! A fact that the Supreme Mugwump was reminded of yet again when the French Minister of Magic, Rémi Auclair, had come for a private visit in his office.

“You really believe that the situation is that dire?” Akingbade asked.

Auclair nodded.

“The Muggle government is highly nervous at this time. It appears that radicals among them plant mass assassinations in the big cities, similar to what the Death Eaters did in Britain in the 90s. Remember the report by MACUSA in 2001 and the attack in New York? The situation in the Muggle world is as fragile as it is in our own. And if wizards should join the chaos, their armed guards that they call the military might hunt us down in order to protect the Muggles. Our location is not ideal, easily to find with their technology that is getting better and better every day.”

Akingbade nodded.

“All over the world, the ministries report that, especially the Muggle-borns warn us about that. What do you suggest?”

“Relocate to our HQ in the Swiss Alps, protected by mountains and powerful enchantments. The high magical atmosphere in that region might render their technology useless there.”

Akingbade nodded again.

“Very well. I will make the preparations. It shall be the official recommendation of the ICW that the local ministries will need to enhance their security against Muggle attacks. We need to be prepared.”

* * *

Arbogastis Frothard barely had time to reflect on the info that Bavaria had de facto declared itself into an independent entity with numerous wizarding councils all over the region, the most important ones being those of Munich, Würzburg, Ansbach and Bayreuth. And more revolutions were occurring in different parts in Wizarding Germany: the wizarding community was on the verge of shattering itself! To make matters worse he was now staring into the eyes of his own brother, Aldemar Frothard, having just arrived in his very office via floor powder now pointing his wand at the federal minister.

“You can’t seriously mean that!” Arbogastis whispered looking up towards his brother.

“Oh, you being disinherited and banned from our family will be the least of your problems, brother!”

Aldemar spat the last word out in disgust.

“Traitors will be dealt with. Those who ally themselves with the Mudbloods and Muggle beasts and all that filth. You be very careful about your next decisions now…and don’t even think of severing your fireplace from the network. Think about your wife, your precious daughters… Erchanold Ganhardt has vowed to battle this threat and we will follow him and so will you. Otherwise, there is no more need for a Federal Minister for Magic!”

His brother stepped towards the fireplace and vanished in the green flames leaving the minister behind who nervously clutched his chair...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! :D 
> 
> I just wanted to tell all my readers here that "The Sleeping Dragon" has been put on hold. I don't know whether I'll one day continue this story.  
> Rowling's transphobic tweets and her essay has hit me pretty hard being a trans woman myself. I grew up with Harry Potter and I LOVED it. But I need to distance myself from that universe for a bit. I know that for many fans, reading fanfics is the only true way to enjoy the wizarding world now but I'm afraid that, for now at least, I simply cannot continue this story.  
> In addition to that, I'm also in the process of writing an original story of my own, a sci-fi story. And I'll also continue on my already started Doctor Who stories but I could also start new DW stuff.  
> If anyone of you has questions, suggestions or the like, please write to me.
> 
> Love you all!
> 
> MuggleBorn92


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